Deeply Wounded
by Dark Mermaid
Summary: Severus takes pity on a young woman whose past deeply resembles his own, can he make her see life goes on? Can she make him see the same? ss/ofc. Rated m for a reason! not being updated until beta-ing is done which will be soon 1/24/2015
1. Chapter 1

This Chapter was beta'd by Chavelaprincess. I do not own any of J.k Rowlings Characters and I make no profit from these wonderful fanfictions.

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><p>I sit in the staff meeting as it draws on, my twin sister chatting animatedly about some upcoming changes to the teaching curriculum. She brushes her dye-blonde locks out of her brown eyes and beams over at me. I sit, arms folded across my chest, the same vacuous look on my face. My raven hair pulled into a tight bun at the back of my head, my brown eyes devoid of any emotion as I wait for this meeting to end. My sister and I were hired the year after the war to replace the turnover of retiring professors. My sister Astra taking over Charms for Professor Flitwick and myself taking over potions after Professor Snape made the move to Defence Against the Dark Arts when Slughorn decided to go back into retirement. Teaching for two years now people have realized that though we are inseparable, we are as different as humanly possible. Astra is outgoing, bubbly and full of life. While I am cold, distant and hardened by circumstance. Our life growing up wasn't fluffy or frilly or by any means as fantastic as you would assume from a rich pure-blood family.<p>

The newest Professor beside me chats energetically as, in a friendly attempt, wraps an arm around me. My sister's jaw drops as I spring out of my seat, grabbing him by the collar and slamming him back against the wall.

"Do not ever put your hands on me again, do you understand me?"

He nods as I hold him there.

My sister cries out, horrified by my aggressive temper. "Celestia drop him!"

I let him go as I turn, the entirety of the room staring at me in shock, never having seen as much reaction from me before. I drop my head and sink back into my chair.

"Miss Vicer, is there a problem?" Minerva asks confused.

"She's fine Headmistress, just a rough morning." Astra chimes in as I nod.

The meeting continues and I can feel eyes boring into me and I look up to see Severus watching me curiously, he seems able to look into the depths of my soul and all that I know is that I don't like it. Even as I glare he continues his fixed regard. I stand abruptly knocking over the chair and storming from the room angrily.

"What on earth is going on with your sister Astra? If there is one more outburst like that I may be forced to remove her from my faculty."

"She's a very good instructor Headmistress, and if she leaves then I leave. We've always been a package deal and will remain one."

"Well then what would you have me do Astra? Her outbursts are unprovoked and I am unwilling to put the students here at Hogwarts at the end of her wrath such as it is."

"She wasn't unprovoked, he touched her! Everyone has their own triggering point and that is her trigger, people touching her without her consent."

Minerva raised her eyebrow at Astra in confusion as Astra began to speak in a subdued tone.

"I suppose it's time I explain, but I need to know this will stay here at this table." Astra waited as everyone nodded and continued. "We were abused as children, but Celestia always protected me, she always took the abuse, she would even pretend to be me to see to it that I would not endure the brunt of his anger and it gave me time to get away. Our father was a horrid man, always angry, and malicious. He took his anger out on us, more her than myself, in many ways. You've all seen how she dresses, she isn't covered up because she likes to, she covers to hide her scars. She can't be touched, refuses, especially by men, I'm the only person who can ever touch her and even with me she flinches. He crossed a boundary today, and that set her off, which is understandable."

"I never would have guessed, I always just thought she was forbidding and unfeeling." Aurora comments quietly.

"She's far from it, her emotions come in bursts, and when she can't keep them in check, it makes her agitated and she can become very overwhelmed. She's built these walls ten times her size and has lived in them ever since. I tell you this so you don't condemn her for her actions. It's not her fault. Celestia truly is an amazing woman underneath all of this."

There is a knock on my door and I wave my wand lazily, turning from the potion I am working on to unlock the door. Severus billows in, locates and situates himself on the closest available seat in the classroom before fixing his eyes on me.

"Can I help you Professor Snape?" I whisper uninterestedly.

"I came to ask if you are ok?"

I respond hoping he will leave, his presence in the room making me uneasy. "You have never spoken to me, I will be fine if you continue on in that manner." He doesn't move, so

I continue with my brewing, my hands trembling slightly.

"Dreamless sleep potion I see, why?" He drawls.

"I do not need to explain myself to you Professor Snape!" I snap out.

"Severus."

"Professor Snape!" I snap back, stirring the potion distractedly, the loose sleeve of my robes catching fire, the vapours from the potion igniting it like dry leaves. Before I can react, Snape has pulled the robe off of me, tossing it to the floor and extinguishing it before turning his attention back to me. The fresh burns don't gather any attention. His eyes fall instead to the scars on my upper back and arms. And as I stand before him exposed, feeling my anxiety creep, he steps towards me and I skitter back.

"I am not going to touch you Celestia, I only wish to see your back."

"Why?" I ask, taking another step back from him.

He responds seeming unfazed by what he has seen. "I can heal those scars Celestia, if you will allow me."

"I have tried to heal them with magic, they resist it." I bitterly respond.

"I can make a salve that will remove them over time, I have done it before, though your scars are quite a bit deeper, so they may take longer."

"Done it before... for who?"

"I am not offering to swap stories with you Miss Vicer. Do you want my help or not?"

I nod quietly wrapping my arms around myself protectively. Snape takes off his cloak and hands it to me before turning to the cupboards and grabbing a cauldron and an armload of ingredients and returning to the table and laying it all down. He peers in my cauldron cutting the flames and moving it off the element.

"If it is you taking this potion, exercise caution, it has brewed too long and is much too potent now."

"That's fine." I whisper, moving slowly towards the table covered with ingredients and wrapping his cloak around me inhaling deeply the masculine scent of it before shaking the notion from my head. He moves to the opposite side of the table and immediately gets to work. Having moved here from Canada, I didn't have the advantage of having him as my professor and watch his well practiced skills as he chops, slices, crushes and liquefies ingredients for the potion, getting them done in half the time it would take me, and begins brewing. I watch him closely, he appears almost in a trance, not seeing anything around him but the potion he is focused on, I realize he is brewing completely from memory.

"Aren't you worried you will screw it up without instructions?" I suddenly ask as he weighs one of the ingredients carefully.

"No, I hardly think I can, as you say 'screw up' a potion I, myself, invented Miss Vicer." he grumbles at my interruption.

"You were like me, weren't you?" I ask boldly.

He drops the scoop of powder into the cauldron with a plop and stirs it twice before looking up at me.

"As I have already said, I do not wish to swap stories with you Miss Vicer." he finishes adding another scoop of powder before peering into the cauldron with a nod.

"A simple yes or no would've sufficed." I grumble.

"Why does it matter?" He snarls and I take a step back, his demeanour scaring me. I immediately see the the anger drop from his face and replaced with – wait, was that a flash of - sympathy?

"I did not mean to startle you, but I do not wish to discuss this."

"You didn't." I lie... "And I know the feeling."

"What feeling?" He drawls.

"Not wanting to talk about it. It makes it real... once someone else knows." I whisper and see Snape freeze turning his stare on me.

"I won't press the matter anymore Professor Snape, I get it. I don't even know why I'm talking to you." I continue, my icy tone returning.

He turns back to his potion, carefully pulling it off the element and setting it to cool. He moves to the cabinet grabbing four glass jars with lids and bringing them back to the table, uncapping them and grabbing a long handled scoop. He carefully scoops the thick pinkish goo from the cauldron, filling the first jar and handing it to me carefully.

"Try it on the burn first, if it's strong enough it should disappear to just a red mark"

I nod shoving my finger into the warm goo and spreading some on my burned arm, immediately I feel relief and I watch as the burn quickly fades away with a cool tingling sensation and I look on in awe. I look up at Snape, he nods in approval and begins filling the rest of the jars.

"Genius, Professor Snape." I comment flatly

"I beg your pardon?" He looks taken aback.

"You are a genius."

He stares at me impassively before he speaks,

"The scars won't go that easily, especially curse scars. Twice a day, no more than that." He ignores my compliment.

"Thank you….Severus." I whisper.

The next few weeks yield results, my arms and legs are almost completely healed except some red scarring that are slowly fading out. As I sit in the potions room at my desk the students leaving the last class for the week, I tip my head back against the leather chair and close my eyes. I hear the classroom door close and I open my eyes to see Severus walking towards me. He stops in front of my desk and gestures toward my arms, so I unbutton the sleeves of my blouse sliding them up and showing him the dramatic improvement.

"Is it working on your back as well?"

"I haven't tried."

"Why not?"

"I can't reach there to do it and I can't see to cast it there."

"What about Astra?"

I shake my head.

"I thought you were ok with her touching you?"

"I am, but she has never seen them, only assumes they exist. She would only blame herself, and I don't want to be responsible for that."

"Do you trust me?" He asks calmly

"What?"

"Do you trust me?" He repeats

"Yes." I answer confused

"Could you handle me putting it on the deeper ones for you?"

I sit completely still, my mind a mess of emotions, I fear his touch, as such a man could not possibly be gentle, what will happen when he touches me? Will he stop if I want him to?

"I don't know." I whisper honestly.

"Can I try? I will stop if you need me to."

"I can only try, the salve is in my room."

"I will come see you tonight then."

"It has to be now or I'll lose my nerve." I admit honestly

He nods and we move to my room, the black furnishings and rich purples fill my room, my bed having at least two dozen soft fluffy pillows and warm fuzzy blankets. I wave my wand at the fire and it springs to life. I move to the bathroom grabbing the salve and upon coming back into the room I feel my stomach lurch and my nerves falter.

"Where did you go to school Miss Vicer?"

"Toronto Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardry"

"Any difference from here?"

"The children aren't so snobbish and the weather is worse, otherwise, no"

"I'm assuming you did well there to have gained a teaching position abroad?"

"Fairly, I haven't the patience for muggle studies or magical history."

I look up and he is raising his eyebrow at me.

"Why are you so interested in my history all of the sudden, Severus?"

"I am not, Are you calmer than you were when you came out?"

I realize that he has chatted me up to relax my nerves, I huff. He approaches me slowly and stops two feet from me, holding out his hand for the glass jar. I hand it to him careful to avoid his touch as I stare down at the floor.

"I am not going to approach you Miss Vicer, you will have to approach me as you become comfortable." He talks calmly and I nod. I pull off my cloak throwing it on the bed and I stand in place for several long moments before I slowly inch towards him stopping close enough that I can smell his deep scent. My heart pounds as I turn slowly facing away from him. I can feel my heart thudding in panic, my stomach lurching, waiting to feel like I had so many years ago when it had all started happening, But he doesn't touch me.

"What was your best subject Miss Vicer"

I can't answer, I can feel my panic growing inside me, filling me up like molten lava and weighing me down like wet cement. I feel light headed and dizzy and the horrifying memories flood my brain taking me away from this instant just for a moment before Severus sees what is happening and reels me back.

"Miss Vicer, Miss Vicer" his voice firm and calm

My stomach lurching again at the thought of being touched, I weakly mutter, "Yes."

"What was your best subject? Potions?"

"No, Defence" I whisper.

"Really? So are you good at duelling then?"

"Yes."

"What else do you excel at Miss Vicer"

"Potions, occulamancy and transfiguration"

"Hardest potion you have brewed?"

"Felix Felicis"

"You have successfully brewed Felix Felicis?"

"Yes, in my second year"

"I am impressed, do you enjoy Potions?"

"Yes."

"Perhaps I could teach you some more complex stuff one day, when being near me isn't quite so repulsive to you"

"I don't find you repulsive Severus, quite the opposite actually." I whisper, my voice giving away how scared I am right now.

"The opposite?"

"Please don't make me explain my feelings, it's hard enough to get them straight in my head, forget about-"

I stop short when his hands come up and rest on my shoulders gently. He doesn't move, his hands don't move, they just sit stationary on my shoulders.

"Feelings are not my department, how did they sort the kids out at your school?"

I stand completely still, my heart thudding harder in my chest. I feel completely overwhelmed, my body at war with my mind. My body sending tingles through me, starting at his hands on my shaking shoulders, my tank top making me feel naked against his dark eyes. My mind is reeling, remembering that every time I've been touched it has ended in pain and torture, and screaming for me to run. He removes one hand as he grabs the jar out of his pocket then handing it to me.

"Open that and hold it for me, please?" He speaks gently, it's weird to hear his voice softened. I comply, opening the jar and holding it up for him, my hand trembling almost uncontrollably.

"You're okay, I will not hurt you Celestia, not ever." he whispers

He dips two fingers into the salve and I take a swift intake of breath holding it, waiting for it, but it doesn't come.

"Is your hair naturally black or is it blonde?"

"Brown."

"So you both change your appearances then?"

"Yes, I suit black, she suits blonde"

"I see, your favourite colour is purple I assume?"

"Or black, or red"I respond, making a mental note of how odd it is for Severus to be making small talk.

"And hers?"

"Pink, lilac, and powder blue." I whisper and I feel his fingers slide over as much of the first scar as he can cover before hitting my shirt. I gasp and almost hit the ground, his arm snakes quickly around my waist and pulls me back against him, I can feel his desire for me pressing against my back and he releases me as quickly as he grabbed me letting me stand on my own. He strokes salve down another scar and another until they are all done, well what he can see of them is done. For the next two month she shows up every night at eight to put it on my back. At the end of the eight weeks only the deepest scars remain there and he asks me about the rest of my back but I'm not ready to bare anymore of myself to him yet. For a week more we just focus on the faintly visible scars until they have disappeared.

For a few days he doesn't come and I find myself missing his gentle touch, craving it. I'm not used to this feeling and it scares me, so I keep my distance. Two weeks pass and I wake from a dream where Severus arms are around me, his lips on mine exploring my mouth. I stare around the darkness of my room, an unfamiliar feeling creeping deep in my core, a yearning, an ache for him and his gentle finger strokes upon my skin. I slip out of bed wrapping myself in my plush floor length black velvet robe, covering me just above the knee purple silk nightie. I grab the salve, stuffing it into my pocket, downing a calming draught and heading out and down the halls to his quarters. I knock on his door and hear the lock click open a few moments later. I step into the darkness of the room, my fear outweighed by the aching inside me. As my eyes adjust, I see him sitting upright against his headboard, quietly staring at me.

"I am ready Severus."

He slips from the bed moving to me, his pale chest bare to my eyes and his black sweatpants clinging to him nicely as he walks towards me. I take the salve from my pocket and undo my robe, letting it drop to the floor and I step towards him.

I watch his eyes travel my body, this is the most skin I have ever shown and I can tell by the sudden bulge in his pants that he is enjoying it.

He approaches me and I turn around sliding down the straps of my nightie and letting it fall to the floor, my back to him I hear him groan barely audibly before he takes the salve, opening it and putting it back in my hand, not trusting his voice right now.

He begins his strokes, starting between my shoulder blades and running down over the swell of my rear and I can't help myself, a small groan escapes my lips. His hands immediately leave my body.

"Don't do that Miss Vicer."

"Celestia" I correct.

"Celestia..." he breathes, my name sounding sexy rolling off his tongue, his velvet voice raising goosebumps on my tender flesh.

"Do what?" I breathe, more huskily than I had anticipated.

"That... your moan, your voice. I have very little self control in my tired state Celestia, please don't push it's limits, I don't want to scare you away after all it has taken for you to let me this close."

He runs another few strokes of salve down my back gently and I have to clench my jaw to keep from crying out, I have never experienced contact like this and it hits me like a drug. He finishes after a few more strokes and steps back from me. I turn slowly looking him in the eyes. This time his eyes don't travel down, they stay locked on my eyes, unmoving.

"Look at me Severus, I want you to see me, see what I hope to give you one day one day."

His eyes stay fixed on mine for a few more moments, his expression unreadable. Slowly his eyes drop and begin to travel down over my scarred breasts and stomach and down to the thin black fabric of my panties against my pale skin. He groans and takes a step back. It has been months of working up to this moment and I want it so badly. I take a deep breath, letting my body rule me and fighting my desperately flailing mind. I take several steps, bringing my lace undergarment clad body up against his half-dressed form, our skin pressed together making me wet. I take his hands in mine, my body trembling fiercely and guide them up my sides, tracing my gentle curves and bringing them up to gently cup my pale scantily covered breasts.

"Celestia, I can't take this torture", he breathes.

I reach down and wrap my fingers firmly around his hard cock, stroking him gently a few times before he nudges me back gently with a groan.

He takes my hand while he guides me towards the bed and points up onto the pillows hopefully. I nod climbing into the bed and sitting in the middle. He looks as if he'll begin to climb on top of me but I stop him, feeling overwhelmed with the idea of him on top of me and pinning me to the bed.

"Tell me what you want, I need to know, I need to have your consent Celestia."

"I want to, I -I-", I freeze, the realization of how far I have taken this hitting me suddenly and I shrink back into myself, and am about to begin letting my walls close in around me. He sees it and sits on the bed in front of me and taking my hands in his, says,

"You do not have to do this Celestia, there are no expectations here."

"I want to do this, I want you, I crave your touch Severus, but I'm-I can't-"

"Celestia, it is fine."

I whimper as tears fall from my eyes, my emotions coming out, muttering, "It's not, you have been so patient with me."

"Celestia, I have been single for a very long time, I have managed without, I can go without and can continue to go without. I did not help you so you would climb into bed with me. It is not a problem for me. I would be happy if you would agree to lay in my arms tonight, and if you cannot, I am ok with that as well. I have no expectations in this."

"What is this Severus, what are we?"

" I don't know Celestia."

"I can't give you what a proper lover could, I could never ask you to be with me and run the possibility of never being intimate."

"You aren't asking. I am offering we are equals intellectually, and that pleases me more than I believe intimacy ever could. Though I would like it if you would lay with me..."

I nod and he waves his wand pulling down the covers on the bed and we both climb under them and pull them up over our almost bare forms. He lays his arm out and I move closer slowlylaying my head on his chest and wrapping my arm around his chest accidentally brushing his pulsing erection and earning a hiss.

"I'm so sorry" I whisper.

"it's fine, it'll go away, rest Celestia."

I close my eyes and for the first time in my life... I drift into a peaceful sleep, listening to his heart beat. I wake up around three and the blankets have come off of him, showing me he is still hard and I can't help but feel awful. I gently unlace the knot on his sweat pants and reach down, pulling his engorged cock free from his pants and begin to stroke it, over and over from base to tip, every time I arrived at the top, I stroked my palm over and collected the dew. He groans, I hear my name flow off his tongue like smooth wine and in one swift movement I have wrapped my lips tight around the head of his cock, sucking it expertly. Clearly having taken him off guard he doesn't have the time to warn me before shooting his warm seed deep in my mouth with a deep, sexy and delicious grunt. It hits the back of my throat and I instinctively swallow, earning another groan from Severus who is beginning to regain himself and already going hard again. I slide of my panties and bra while he lays with his eyes closed, panting, body still shuddering and I climb on top of him gently, straddling his hips. His eyes shoot open and he groans at my naked form on top of him, I position him at my dripping entrance and with a deep inhale, sink down onto him, taking him into me all at once with a loud moan that he shares with me.

"Merlin, you're tight..." he pants, holding me still to adjust to my body. The moment he let's go I lift myself so only his head remains inside my warmth before sinking down onto him again. He puts his hands on my hips digging his fingers in painfully and begins meeting my downwards thrusts with his own upward thrust pushing himself to new depths within me. I never would have imagined he would feel so perfectly fitting inside of me. I ride him for several more minutes before he snakes his hand down thumbing my swollen clit and breaking my existence around himself. He takes my moment of incoherence to flip on top of me and starting picking up a pace causing me to crash one more time before he lets his orgasm take him once more, spilling his warm seed into me before collapsing on the bed beside me. We lay in the afterglow for what seems like hours before anyone speaks. Severus props himself up on one arm leaning over and capturing my lips, I am certain he can taste himself on my mouth but doesn't care as the kiss deepens before breaking apart for air.

"That was amazing Celestia, I have never felt so fully satisfied."

"I feel the sameSeverus, I didn't know it could feel like that"

Severus leans forward taking my nipple in his mouth sucking it until it goes hard then moving to the other and doing the same.

"Merlin Severus.."


	2. Chapter 2

I'm terribly sorry for the delay in postings as of late, working on two stories at once is difficult, I live inside my characters heads when I write them, so writing this AND the eldest has been tricky. Best wishes, please feel free to drop me a reviews and let me know what you think! Thanks to my awesome readers Victoria_cullen30, Marsbott and my guest reviewer (we both know who you are ;) for all your reviews and support!

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><p>Severus wakes in the morning, looking down at her sleeping form clutched tightly to his chest. He reaches up gently stroking the hair out of her face and she startles awake pulling herself from his arms.<p>

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><p>"Celestia it's me, Severus"<p>

I look at him and nod, my heart pounding in my chest, trying to regain level breathing again.

"It's Saturday, do you need to be somewhere or do you wish to stay here?"

Not looking at him I whisper, "My sister will be looking for me."

"You regret what happened... go if you need to," he whispers back to me, his expression cold.

"I don't, It was fantastic. but..." I start, feeling emotional "I feel like a whore."

"You are a woman who wanted something and took it, that doesn't make you a whore." he responds calmly

I look up at him, still keeping my head turned down.

He moves toward me slowly, taking my lips with his and I graciously accept his kiss letting my hands slide up his bare chest and watching his cock spring to life again out of the corner of my eye.

"I want you again Celestia." He murmurs silkily against my lips

"My sister will be worried Severus, she'll have the whole staff looking for me. I don't think you want the staff to find us having sex."

"No, not particularly. I value my privacy immensely" he grumbles leaning in to kiss me again. His lips capture mine and the duel continues until I break away, climbing from his bed and carefully putting my clothes on, my body aching slightly. I nod to him silently and make my way out of his chambers moving through the halls as quickly as I possibly can, I turn the corner to my rooms and slam directly into Astra who looks upset.

"There you are! I've been worried sick, you were in your bed when I came in last night, then when you weren't here this morning! I was really worried Celestia!"

"Sorry, I couldn't sleep, so I went for a walk," I lie horribly.

My robe falls slightly open and I quickly pull it back closed.

"Went for a walk? Dressed like that?" She asks raising an eyebrow.

I point to our rooms and we move there closing the door quickly behind us.

"I was with Severus."

"With Severus, you, in that?"

"Yes."

"Did you? Celestia did you have sex with him?"

"Yes." I whisper "but this stays between us Astra, I mean it"

"Yes yes. Oh Merlin! Was he good? Are you ok? How did he—"

"Yes it was fantastic, really fantastic. I never thought he would be like that." I pause thinking for a moment. "I'm okay, a little sore honestly and... he's just grown on me honestly."

"I'm happy you finally cut loose. So what are you doing here? Go back and do it again, he's single and close"

"I came back because I knew you would be looking for me"

"Send an elf to go get him, it's Saturday! Put something sexy on, light the fire and go nuts."

"Go nuts?"

She nods, "You finally found someone you are comfortable around, let him satisfy you for now" she smirks

I shake my head in embarrassment of her implications. "For now?"

Suddenly there is a knock at the hallway door and Astra pulls it open to see Severus standing there, his usual cold expression plastered effortlessly on his face.

"Or not, maybe he will come back for more." she smirks.

Severus raises an eyebrow at me looking irritated.

"it's not her fault, we're a package deal, we don't keep secrets but I'll leave you two alone" she smirks.

"I don't need to tell you Astra, that I prefer my personal life stays quiet"

"Of course professor, I have no desire to tell anyone about this" she comments seriously before disappearing out into the corridors.

"I came to return your brassiere," he smirks before pulling the lacy undergarment from his robe pockets.

"Do you want to stay here Severus?" I ask nervously.

"I do," he nods, moving toward me quickly. He grabs me roughly and I freeze for a moment. He lets go of me instantly realizes his mistake. I take a deep breath and force myself to relax capturing his lips with mine. He scoops me up in his arms and pushes open the door to my room, kicking it closed behind him and moving me to the rug in front of the fire. He ignites the fire and slowly starts undressing me, kissing my flesh as it becomes bare. He throws my nightie and my robe across the floor and divesto's all of his clothes before he gently eases into my small frame with a quiet gasp. He immediately starts up a wicked pace, pressing my body down into the soft fur rug, the heat from the flames warming my skin. He slides his arms underneath me and pulling me tightly against him as he claims the flesh of my neck with his hot mouth. The perfect motion of his hips sending torturous waves through me.

He pulls off me suddenly and I watch as he prys my legs apart, holding my eyes as he lowers his mouth to me. I close my eyes as his tongue darts deliciously through my folds before he claims my center of my pleasure and sucking it hungrily and pressing two fingers deep into me, curling them just right to hit my inner core. Within a few minutes I am writhing beneath him and moaning in ecstasy and my body gives to the waves of pleasure he is causing within me. Severus moves picking me up from the rug and placing me down on the bed gently and climbing on top of me again.

"You are mine Celestia," he purrs in my ear as he pushes into me roughly.

I nod, wrapping my arms around him and as he moves harder and faster and I dig my nails into his back leaving angry red scratches bringing pinpricks of blood to the surface. With every thrust we both get closer to our goal, with each kiss I find myself more addicted. His touch alone makes me feel things I've denied my whole life. With one final thrust we both come undone and he flips us so I am laying on his chest and pulls the blankets up over us wrapping his arms around me tightly and kissing me on the head.

I hear him whisper a protection spell and I snort. He looks down at me in alarm.

"You don't need to do that, I can't have children. Too much damage to my body Severus."

"I am sorry to hear that" he whispers, "are you certain?"

"Yes, they said there is a 0.0001 chance, are you upset by that?" I comment suddenly realizing maybe he wants children.

"No, I don't see myself as a father if it were to even come to that between us. I am sorry that it is that way for you, but it means I can enjoy you without worry"

I nod and close my eyes listening to his steadily beating heart and drift off to sleep.

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><p>"You two actually look pretty good together," comes Astra's voice and stirring us from our sleep. Her smile almost wider than her face can contain.<p>

I grumble annoyed, "Go away Astra"

"No, seriously, you two look like you're meant for each other."

"Astra, you are going to scare him off!" I snap.

"Not a chance Celestia" he whispers in my ear before tipping my head up and kissing my lips, my sister watching on with a smirk.

"So do you think you are good enough for her? Do you plan to marry her?" She smirks

"Astra!"

"It's a fair question! You're a pureblood, you're supposed to go to the man who marries you."

"Yea well that didn't exactly work out did it!" I snap angrily.

"I'm sorry Celestia, I didn't mean to stir that up."

"We have been speaking no more than six months and been together for less than twenty-four hours, I think it would be inappropriate to answer that question at this point in time" Severus drawls.

"But it was appropriate to have sex, what a world we live in huh? Where marriage is too soon to be spoken about and sex comes first."

"Astra! You are truly one to speak!" I snap again, annoyed.

"I wasn't condemning you, just pointing out that it's not such an unreasonable question. I just want to know if he is even interested in marriage or if he is a partner or friends with benefits kind of guy. I want to know his intentions with you Celestia."

"If she wishes it at a later point in time if we get there then we will visit that topic then, I'm not going to speak about commitment after sleeping with her twice Astra"

"I'm sorry, I'm just so happy to see her opening up, I don't want to see her get hurt again. She deserves a good husband and some cute babies."

"Astra, please stop."

"I've seen the way you look at little babies, you want one!" She beams at me, "you're one step closer Celestia."

"Drop it Astra!" I finally yell, waving my wand so I am fully clothed.

"Why, does he not want kids? Why are you acting like this?"

I feel my emotions bubbling up, the thought of not having any children has always made me miserable. I had been pregnant once, the circumstance was wrong. When it was discovered he had left me pregnant, I was almost fifteen weeks and he had cut it from my body and left me to die. I held on for days before mother found me and healed me as best she could. When I had finally escaped the house at seventeen and sought out proper medical care they had confirmed my worst fear, that I would never carry a child within my body. That there was so little unscarred tissue to attach to that it was impossible. I knew then I was no prize to be won, it was bad enough that I wasn't a virgin, but to be barren as well was a sentence to be carried out. No pureblood man would ever want a wife who couldn't produce an heir, not to mention my inability to be too near people.

"Celestia, what is wrong?"

"Drop it!" I snarl, my temper getting the best of me.

"No, I want to know what's going on Cel—"

Before she can finish her sentence I have jumped from the bed and grabbed her by the collar, slamming her back against the wall and pressing hard on her throat. Severus quickly waves his wand to dress and appears behind me, commanding that I drop her, but I don't and he grabs my arms pulling me back off of her roughly.

"Celestia, the headmistress will sack you" he growls before I black out and begin hitting him over and over, he grabs my arms again roughly and holds them above my head and against the wall. He tries to talk to me but I kick him hard and pull from his grasp. He topples onto the floor, my kick having hit a very sensitive spot. But he grabs my leg to keep me from going back after Astra, I tumble to the ground and he climbs onto me, shooing her from the room before getting off me. I grab a handful of the plain t-shirt he is wearing, pulling at his so hard the shirt rips before he pulls from my grasp and I slap him hard across the face. He pulls off the torn garment before coming back at me with a hard slap on the ass, trying desperately to get me to snap out of it. His hand grabs my shirt and bra and tears them painfully from my body as he flings me roughly against the wall. I try to kick him but he captures my leg, using it to pull them open, pushing my skirt up and tearing my panties.

I slap him again and he pulls out his cock and thrusts it deep inside me. I scream out in a mixture of pain and pleasure at his sudden invasion, his strong body enveloping me tightly as he begins fucking me with raw fury. His fingers digging so hard into my flesh I can feel the bruises forming. He pounds me furiously for several minutes until I'm about to come and he pulls out and let's me drop to the floor along the jagged stone wall, the rough stone leaving bloody scratches from my ass to my neck, and storms towards the bed.

I chase him angrily, wanting the release he has denied me and shove him hard. He turns grabbing me and throws me onto the bed, he puts his hand on my back and pushes me down against the mattress and holds me there as he enters me roughly from behind. He's pounding me in sheer anger and frustration, his gentle demeanour long gone at this point.

His thrusts are so hard I can feel my insides jumping with each forward motion and he works himself to his release and pulls out of me grabbing my hair and forcing me down on my knees to take him into my mouth. His thick salty seed still fresh on him as he forces himself down my throat holding it there so I can't breathe. I begin to panic when I can't get a breath and start clawing at him desperately, begging him silently to let me go. He pulls his cock out of my mouth and grabs me again by the hair pulling me up and shoving me onto the bed. He climbs up and runs his fingers over my swollen nub and I arch into him, begging. He works me furiously until I come and drops onto the bed beside me before turning his back to me. I open my eyes turning to him and see the scratches I left this morning. I lift my arm and trace them lazily with my fingers, I hear a soft groan from Severus.

"Did you do that to calm me down?" I whisper.

"Not entirely."

"Look at me please Severus?"

He turns, his eyes scanning my naked form, there are fingertip bruises on my hips, my thighs and my rear and there is a bit of blood on my lip from biting my lip. He brushes the hair from my face and takes my lips, sucking the blood from my lips gently.

"Thank you... I get blinded by my rage sometimes..." I whisper sadly, thinking about my poor sister.

"As do I, be careful how hard you push" he responds bitterly

"I never thought I would enjoy it rough, is it sick that after everything I've been through, I liked that?"

"No" he whispers "or maybe we're both sick."

"After sex like that, I think were both slightly twisted" I smirk.

He nods quietly.

"What happened to you Celestia?"

"A secret for a secret Severus, I will do my best but I can't promise anything..."

"I will show you some of my memories if you show me some of yours." he whispers, "I needn't tell you that it stays between us."

"And the same with mine, my sister has no idea how bad it was Severus."

I accio two vials, handing one to him and begin pulling strings of memory from my head and carefully filling the small vial, my hand trembling horribly. He lifts my hand to his lips, trailing gentle kisses across my skin. He is trailing kisses up my arm and to my lips, gently laying a kiss on them.

I feel him pull the vial from my hand and replace it with his own as he pulls away from me, dressing and heading for the door.

"Tonight, my chambers or yours?"

"Mine, warmer here." I whisper and he disappears through the door.

I stand moving to my own pensieve and pouring his memories into it and watching them swirl around. With a deep breath I fall forward into his memories.

I stand in a dark dirty house, I can see what I assume to be Severus as a child hiding behind a chair in the sitting room as the screaming and shouting comes thundering down the stairs.

"I can't do this anymore Tobias, I'm leaving!" The thin sour looking woman cries out slinging her bag over her shoulder and moving down a few more steps. The man following behind her grabs her arm swinging her angrily and she spins, falling over the banister of the stairs and crashing through a glass table at the bottom. I can hear Severus crying from behind the sofa, his thin, loosely dressed trembles as he watches on. His mother pulls herself from the table but there is blood everywhere, she is bleeding heavily as she stumbles forward bracing herself on the doorframe to the sitting room, her eyes falling angrily on Severus, telling him silently to be quiet. Tobias grabs the woman by the hair yanking her back. He slams her back against the wall grabbing ,her by the throat and striking her repeatedly as Severus cowers quietly in the corner. The woman screamed over and over with the strikes until she falls silent. Tobias let's go of her and she drops lifelessly to the floor in a pool of her own blood. Tobias grabs his coat and disappears through the door and Severus crawls quickly across the floor for his mother, pulling his wand out in an attempt to help her, but it's too late. I see the colour drain from his small face as he checks her pulse and realizes that there isn't one. He curls up on his mothers chest and erupts into sobs, mumbling incoherently.

The memory fades and another begins. Severus is still laying against his mother's corpse when Tobias gets home. The slamming door startles Severus awake and he bolts for the stairs but Tobias grabs him and shakes him violently.

"This is your fault boy, everything was wonderful until you came along, you filthy brat." He snarls and throws Severus, who lands in the blood surrounding his dead mother. His father beats him until he is laying silently broken on the floor staring off into nothingness, before grabbing a beer and sitting down in front of the telly ignoring his dead wife still laying on the floor. The memory fades and there is Severus sitting at the roots of a tree watching a little red haired girl frolicking through the wildflowers when his father comes up behind him grabbing him by the arm and dragging him home. I follow them back to the house where he tosses Severus into the house slamming the door behind them, I stand in the hallway where his clearly intoxicated father starts pushing him around and hitting him, telling him he should have helped his mother, saying it was his fault she died, screaming in his face until Severus cried and then beating him for crying. The memory fades and moves to the next.

Severus is laying in the dark on a mound of dirt in the backyard, tears streaming quietly down his cheeks, fresh picked flowers laid on the mound beside him.

The memory fades and I find myself standing on the back porch beside what must be a sixteen or seventeen year old Severus who watches on as the muggle police and an undercover ministry official dig up his mothers skeletal remains and cart his drunk and screaming father off to jail. His face shows no emotion, no tears as they pack her up in a bag and remove her from the property. The ministry official hangs back to tell Severus that the property is his now as his father will be serving a life sentence.

I reappear back in the room and sit for a minute collecting my thoughts, Severus had been alone his whole life. No one had ever been there, no one had helped him, no one had loved him. That little red haired girl watched on as he was dragged off and did nothing, what a world. That must have been Lily, the girl he was so in love with. I feel anger towards the little girl who knew what was going on and turned her back on him. I stand grabbing my robe and move quickly to his office where he stands hunched into the pensieve still. I drop into a chair in his office pulling my robes tighter around me to keep me warm and I drift off to sleep.

* * *

><p>When I wake Severus is kneeling on the floor in front of me, his hands entwined with mine. There are drying tears on his cheeks as he puts his head down on my knees. I run my fingers through his hair gently.<p>

"it's ok, please don't cry for me" I whisper

He wraps his arms around my waist and keeps his head on my lap.

"I'm sorry you've been so very alone Severus, and I'm sorry about your mother."

I feel him nod against my lap but he otherwise doesn't move.

"Please look at me. I can't handle you not looking at me..." I beg quietly.

He turns his head up and I can see the tear stains down his cheeks and the redness to his eyes. He comes up onto his knees pressing his lips against mine tenderly.

"I understand why your sister asked so many questions, you deserve the best Celestia, I know I haven't been here for long but I will never let anyone hurt you ever again," he whispers holding me tightly.

He gently wipes the tears from my eyes and stands pulling me up with him. He sits against the edge of his desk and pulls me into his arms.

"I am taking you out for dinner Celestia, in an hour" he breathes, kissing me again.

"Are you asking me on a date Severus?"

"Obviously." he responds annoyed

"Then I, of course, am saying yes." I smile.

"Go, put on something nice, I'll meet you in an hour."

"You're going to walk through the entire castle with me Severus?"

"Yes?"

"You don't want to hide this?" I ask quietly.

"I don't wish to flaunt it, but I do not wish to hide it, unless you don't wish to be seen with me?" He asks, a hint of worry in his voice.

"Severus, that is hardly the case" I smile gently trailing kisses down his neck.

"Go right now and get ready before I bend you over my desk and take you. We won't make it to dinner." he smirks and I debate for a moment before he cuts off my train of thought. "After dinner Celestia, I am determined to take you on a proper date."

I nod and disappear to my room to find clothing.

After tearing through my entire wardrobe, I knock on Astra's door and wander in lazily. Astra is laying in her bed reading a magazine when I come in and drop onto the bed beside her.

"I need your assistance Astra."

"With?"

"Severus is taking me out, I don't know what to wear"

She nods and drops her magazine jumping from the bed and throwing open her wardrobe.

"When do you leave?"

"Uh... forty five minutes."

She pulls a bag from her wardrobe and pulls the dress from it. A gorgeous knee length emerald green silk dress with spaghetti straps and a diamond encrusted under bust. She tosses the dress to me and pulls out a pair of black stilettos.

I strip down, much to her surprise, and pull the dress and shoes on, she comes up behind me zipping the dress and adding a beautiful diamond collar to my neck, clipping it carefully and letting my hair down from the messy ponytail. She pulls it half up and charms it completely straight adding some red lipstick and smokey eyes to finish the look and stepping back to admire.

"You look amazing Celestia, you definitely clean up nice."

"You haven't even worn this?" I ask, pulling the tag from the dress and handing it to her.

"I bought it for you, there's a ball here this Christmas, and I was going to surprise you. But this is more important."

A sudden knock at the door jolts my heart up into my throat and Astra pulls the door open. Severus stands in his nicest black dress robes, his eyes scan me and close, holding his hand to his head.

"Is something wrong Severus?"

"Nothing's wrong, he's fighting that down, you may not make it to dinner tonight Celestia..." she smirks pointing at his tight pants which look to be painfully restraining his member at this point.

He opens his eyes after a few moments and holds his arm out to me.

"Shall we go?"


	3. Chapter 3

He puts his hand on the small of my back, leading me through the night darkened castle and out the front doors and into the cool November air. We walk briskly down the cobblestone road to Hogsmeade and he leads me off the regular path and up a stone staircase leading to the upscale portion of Hogsmeade and into a beautiful restaurant. The walls on the inside are covered with rich green vines and charmed red roses that shimmer with drops of dew, wrapped tightly around the wrought iron gating.

The gentleman at the door leads us to a rose covered balcony with a private table overlooking the distant Hogwarts grounds. We sit quietly and the man brings back a bottle of wine and a glass of whiskey for Severus. He pours me a glass with my agreeing nod and lays out the menu before stepping away.

"This is beautiful Severus, but you didn't need to go to this extreme, I know how much places like this cost."

"Don't, it is incredibly rude of you to bring up cost, sit down and drink your wine and let me be concerned with the cost."

"I'm sorry, I just didn't expect this."

He nods quietly and looks down at the menu. Severus decides on a medium rare steak with all the trimmings and I order a half serving of Fettuccini Alfredo with shrimp and the food is delivered in minutes so we dine quietly, so silent it is almost awkward.

When I finish, I stand and move to the balcony, looking at the beauty of Hogwarts under the stars. His tall form comes up behind me, wrapping his strong arms around my tiny waist and trailing warm kisses down my neck.

"Severus, please, not here."

"Do you want me Celestia?" He purrs in my ear. His voice like liquid velvet.

"Always..." I whisper back and I feel my panties disappear and hear his zipper come down. He carefully lifts the back of my dress and pushes into me with one hard thrust. I let out a groan as he gently rocks his hips, sliding in and out of me sweetly. I tip my head back against him and his arms come back around my waist, his large cloak covering us from all view as he takes me under the stars.

"Severus, please..." I beg, worried someone will notice.

"Quiet witch, or I will stop and leave"

I nod quietly and he continues the unnoticeable rocking rhythm that is making me crazy. The door opens and he stills momentarily as the man clears our plates, the clattering dishes proving no distraction against Severus' controlled movements.

"Dessert sir? Madam?" He asks politely.

"Yes I think so, what would you like Celestia?" He purrs stilling again.

My body is reeling, my mind is reeling, I fear I don't have the control to answer him calmly as Severus begins working me slowly and smoothly.

"The view is incredible I am aware, but you need to answer the man."

"Chocolate cake." I say using every bit of self control as my orgasm approaches.

"And for you sir?"

"I don't think I could handle dessert right now, just her" he replies, his double meaning evident to me. The door closes and Severus makes one giant thrust into me and I shatter around him, my very existence blurring. I bite my lip so hard I fear it will bleed and wrap my fingers tightly around the iron balcony trying desperately not to make a sound as he keeps working and spills into me with nothing more than a deep grunt. He pulls out after a few moments, fixing my dress, muttering a cleaning spell and tucking himself back away.

"Merlin Severus, that wasn't fair"

"But it was good..." he whispers nipping my neck again. "Damn good."

"Good, can we quit our jobs and just have sex all day?" I smirk

"No, I fear you would tire of me too quickly" he breathes

"I could never tire of you Severus, I fear it's too soon to say this, but I must confess I've fallen hard for you"

"People will warn you away from me Celestia." he comments seriously, almost ignoring my confession. 

"What will they tell me Severus?" I whisper turning and looking up at him seriously.

"That I am obsessive and overbearing, territorial and jealous" he whispers solemnly

"I have no problem with you being obsessive or territorial. I would never give you reason to be jealous as I would never let anyone touch me except you or my sister Astra. As for overbearing, we shall see." I smile as I kiss him sweetly.

We sit peacefully at the table as my plate of cake arrives and I scoop a chunk off and lean across the table offering it to Severus who stares at me as if I had just grown a second head.

"No."

"Severus, please?" I beg

"No."

"Please Sevvie"

"Don't call me. that."

"Yes, sir" I respond sarcastically.

"Mmm... that I like." he groans, his mood changing again.

I kick off my shoes under the table and run my feet up his inner thigh, stopping to gently rub him through his trousers, earning another sexy deep groan as he grows hard under my touch. I stop suddenly putting my feet back on the floor, slipping my shoes back on and picking up the fork again, offering him a bite.

"I don't like chocolate."

"Or kittens or flowers, or sunshine or dancing or music."

"No... not really."

"You just don't know happiness yet, one day you'll turn over in bed and smile at me, because you can and because you truly know what it means to finally be content."

"Is that right? Tell me Celestia, what else you see in the future..."

"Small house, big bed. Waking up with you every morning, a few dogs, maybe I'll convince you one day to adopt a baby with me?"

"No dogs, no baby."

"Really? Why do you not want children?"

"I just don't" he responds icily

"Are you afraid you'll be like him?"

"I suppose..." he drawls

"I always wanted children, but I suppose everything happens for a reason. I'll be happy at your side, if you choose to keep me."

"I have already chosen to keep you Celestia" he states firmly

"Have you now?" I smirk

"It is time to go" he comments rising from his chair, sliding mine out from the table and pulling me up onto my feet commandingly and dragging me from the restaurant after leaving a large pouch of coin on the table.

He drags me towards the castle silently before pulling off the main path by the black lake and walking us down to the shore where he drops and lays back on the cool grass. I watch him for a bit quietly before I speak.

"What are you looking for from me Severus..." I ask curiously

"Nothing, I wasn't looking at all, just happened to stumble on you" he speaks calmly "but now that I have you, I have no intention of letting you go" he stops for a minute, thinking, before speaking again "There is something I wish to ask you" he finishes looking up at the dark shadow of the tree lurking overhead. I sit carefully beside him crossing my legs like a child and leaning back on my elbows.

"Ask away"

"What would you expect of a man before accepting him as a husband? Rhetorically speaking of course"

"I…um…wow..."

"What?"

"I just didn't expect that question" I whisper as Severus climbs onto me pressing my skirt up my thighs and quickly entering me in a rough, deep thrust.

"You are mine, and I don't wish to give another a chance to take you from me," he growls as he fiercely overtakes me under the tree in the crisp November air. My cries and his deep groans and grunting carried away with the cold breeze as he claims me fully in the most heated lovemaking I have ever bared witness to, the session lasting a few feverish hours and not a moment of it not spent writhing beneath him in ecstasy. When we finish he drops with a thud on the grass beside me utterly spent and exhausted, but I close my eyes and drift off into a post orgasmic sleep.

When I wake again I am wrapped in his arms as he carries me through the castle and to his chambers lowering me down gently on the bed and banishing our clothing before crawling into bed beside me and pulling my naked form to his and wrapping us in his bedding, kissing a trail down my neck and collarbone before resting his head on my bare chest and falling quickly asleep. Every time I move away during the night he pulls my body protectively back against his chest not letting me out of his grasp. I move to the washroom when I wake several hours later and as I am washing my hands, his naked form snakes around mine, and without a single word he is inside my aching body again.

"Severus, my body is so sore, can't we wait a bit?" I plead.

"No, I need you right now Celestia, I need to feel you" he growls

"Please Severus" I beg

"It won't take long, but I must have you" he whispers as he starts pounding me furiously despite my protests, claiming me in a most intimate and intense way. His desperate need for me evident in the way he holds me tight against him like a most prized possession. His thrusts full of lust and emotion, he is the most vocal he has ever been. Telling me I am beautiful and that my body is his, that he will never leave me or hurt me, he can't be without my touch. before he explodes, he cries out desperately as he fills me, his body trembling with mine as I follow close behind him screaming out his name. Frustrated with my body for betraying its aches and pains to fulfill his carnal desires.

"Thank you Celestia" he murmurs into my hair, pulling himself from me with a fluid movement, turning me, kissing me and disappearing out into the bedroom. I sit quietly on the side of the bathtub, my emotions raw right now. I never thought I would be in a situation where I would have love and now that I have it, I want it all,a house, a wedding, a baby. Merlin I want his baby. I feel this hot tears run down my face stinging my eyes and I put my head in my hands and sob.

"I'm sorry, I just wanted to have you. I can't go without being inside you, I feel alive when I'm touching you Celestia"

"No Severus, it's not you, you did nothing wrong, it was great, it's always great, even when I'm sore" I whisper as he moves across the room and drops on his knees in front of me.

"What is it then Celestia? tell me"

"I'll be fine love, it's not important"

"Celestia, I need your honesty or this will never work"

"I love you, and I love everything we have, but I need more" I start seeing him visibly blanch at those three words. "I really want a baby, your baby. But knowing I can't have that makes me miserable"

"Is it truly that important to you?"

"It is, but it doesn't matter I suppose, does it?" I whisper "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ruin this morning"

"You haven't ruined anything, I will make sure you have everything you could ever need, I may not be able to give you a child, but I will do everything in my power to keep you happy, of that I can assure you"

I wrap my arms around him kissing his soft lips and running my fingers through his hair.

"Mmm Celestia, you had best stop before I take you into the shower and have my way with you again"

"Can you?" I smirk

"Mhmm"

"Then take me again"

"I thought you were sore?"

"My sister once said, if you can walk away it wasn't done right" I murmur into his neck.

"Don't say that to me Celestia, you don't know how far I can take this."

I sit silently for a few moments, weighing his words carefully before responding quietly.

"Are you holding back for me Severus?"

"Celestia, I'm not gentle by nature, but believe I am content with what you are giving me..."

"I don't want you to be content, I want you to be satiated and completely fulfilled by me Severus."

"One day, when I have your complete trust. You still flinch when I touch you, I'm not going to be any rougher than I have been... until I feel comfortable to do so, if I even ever will."

He runs his hands up my legs and kisses me softly on the neck, pulling me up with him as he stands and drags me into the shower and turning on the water. He wraps his arm around me and grabs some soap squeezing the thick liquid into his other hand. He spreads it between his hands and begins running his hands over every soft inch of my body, spreading the tiny bubbles over my flesh as I moan and tip my head back against him.

"I let someone slip away from me once, I won't let you slip away from me. How long do you need before you would consider being my wife?"

"Severus, you have already won me over, all you have to do is ask."

He pulls his arms away from me pulling the chain that he wears from his neck and pulling a ring off of it. He holds it out in front of me, the deep red diamonds set in aged white gold, a ring that is surely worth a fortune.

"It was my mother's, and her mother's, been passed down through the Prince family for centuries, I would be honoured if you would wear it as my wife."

"I will." I whisper and he slips the ring onto my finger and spinning me to face him as he swoops in for another kiss. There is a knocking on his door and he waves his wand, unlocking the portrait.

"Is Celestia here Severus?" Comes Astra's concerned voice.

"Yes, she's in here with me" he responds coldly, annoyed at her interruption.

"What is it Astra?" I ask calmly and at that moment Severus is inside me again. He presses me against the wall thrusting hard into me. I groan out loud before he covers my mouth.

"Merlin Celestia!" She gasps walking in and seeing Severus fucking me hard against the wall. "Who knew Severus looked like that under those layers, his body is sexy!" she finishes in a whisper.

Severus hand slides down from my mouth and wraps carefully around my throat pulling my head back against him as he focuses on what he is doing and tuning out Astra who stands in the doorway watching his muscles ripple.

"Do you remember that whole we do everything together thing Tia, is this casual?"

Severus freezes against me, his movements stop and I groan in protest.

"That's up to Severus, but please stop distracting him Astra, I was so close." I whimper

"Dare I ask how close your relationship with your sister is?" He growls as he picks up a pace again, burying his face in my neck, biting my shoulder hard.

"Mmmmm Severus, harder please" I beg

Severus pulls almost completely out of me and slams into me as hard as he can, I scream out and he picks up a gentler rhythm.

"Hard Severus, please"

"You flinched" he growls biting me again.

"She wants you to claim her Severus" Astra whispers dragging her nails down Severus back.

I feel Severus curl into me more before he pulls out and drives in again with shattering contact, I come undone around him and he slams in again. Astra moves closer grabbing his arm and moving his hand to my breast which he squeezes gently. I can feel Severus grow harder inside me as Astra brushes the wet hair out of my face.

"Astra, kneel" I whisper and I feel her hand slide down my side as she drops to her knees facing Severus and looks up at him lustfully. Severus keeps thrusting but turns his gaze down to her sitting so eagerly in front of him.

"Celestia, what are you doing?"

"We're twins, this is a perk, if you want it. I felt you get harder when she came closer."

"Celestia.."

"It's ok Severus, really" I breathe as Astra runs her hand up my side.

He pulls out of me and before he has time to speak Astra takes him as deep in her mouth as she can on the first try. I turn taking his lips. He groans against my mouth as she picks up a bob on his ever hard cock.

"She has the benefit of experience Severus. It will be a welcomed change from me once in awhile..."

"Just this once" he growls angrily, grabbing my sisters hair and pulling her off of him. He regains his composure and yanks her into a stand.

"Why?" He whispers grabbing her by the hair and forcing her to look up at him.

"Been awhile." she answers with a shrug.

He looks at me and I nod.

"I will do this once and only once, you'll need to find someone else to satisfy you after this, do you understand?" He growls and she nods. He pays no mind to foreplay, he instead spins her slamming her hard into the shower wall and with one sharp thrust is inside her fully, he doesn't move, instead sits giving her a moment to adjust.

"You okay Astra?" I whisper to her.

"Need a few more moments, so big, dear Merlin" she whispers and he pulls out thrusting hard into her again and starting a brutal beat, taking her with a beastly fire. I can see the bruises appearing on her hips where he is grabbing her. He clamps his teeth on the flesh of her back and thrusts hard again taking her over the edge with a scream. He pulls away letting her drop to the shower floor.

"On your knees Celestia, please"

"Let her"

"No, only you" he growls and grabs my shoulder pushing me down and thrusting deep into my warm welcoming mouth, two thrusts and he lets out a loud grunt and spills his seed into my mouth.

"Swallow" he growls and I comply without second thought.

After Astra leaves I climb into bed with Severus who looks annoyed. I drag my fingers over his bare chest, but he is too lost in thought to notice.

"Have you done that before?" He whispers

"No, but I wanted to" I whisper sheepishly "are you angry?"

"Not entirely, I just don't want anything to come between us, or distract me from you "

"If you don't want to... I understand Severus."

"It was fine Celestia, but I want to focus on you..."

I nod quietly.

Christmas morning comes and I wake in my bed to Severus shaking me gently.

"You're bleeding, Celestia"

"I don't bleed love, I spot."

"You're bleeding bad, are you ok?"

I sit up and the cramps hit me, I double over in pain. When I notice the amount of blood I gasp.

"I'm so sorry, oh Merlin your bed is a-"

"It's fine, are you ok Celestia?"

"I don't know."

Severus summons an elf and sends it off to get Poppy.

She arrives at my door a few minutes later. Astra coming in behind her looking concerned. Poppy seeing the blood, starts immediately running a diagnostic on me, there are several awkward moments of silence before she shakes her head sadly and looks up at me.

"Early miscarriage my dear, I'm so very sorry..."

"Miscarriage? I was pregnant? " I ask, whispering, in shock.

"About six weeks, again I'm sorry dear." she turns noticing Severus sitting in the chair and raises an eyebrow at him. He shrugs and she offers her condolences, our relationship now blatantly obvious, and a set of instructions for my care before leaving. Astra banishes the blood, grabs a clean towel and sets me up in the bed to rest, she transfigures me a heating pad and props up my pillows.

"Can I get you anything Celestia?"

"I just want to be alone."

Astra leaves and Severus climbs into the bed beside me wrapping his arms around me and pulling me to his chest.

"I'm sorry Celestia." and with a soft kiss he lays on my head, the dam breaks and I let go, I burst into sobs, clinging to him for dear life.


	4. Chapter 4

I wake late into the evening, having cried myself to sleep in Severus' warm arms.

When I awake Severus is gone and I feel horrible. The towel has been changed and there is a cup of tea charmed to stay warm on my bedside table. Astra hustles in with a plate of food and sets it on my lap, moving some pillows behind me.

"How are you feeling?"

I push away the food and scan the room for Severus again.  
>"He's teaching, he's doing your classes as well as his. He didn't want to leave you, I made him."<p>

I sink back under the blankets, pulling them up over my head and closing my eyes, drifting back off to sleep after the tears begin again. When I wake again, Severus is pulling me tightly against him and kissing my forehead.  
>"I brought you chocolate cake, Astra said you wouldn't eat" he drawls, forking off a piece and offering it to me. I refuse and he taps my bottom lip with the fork impatiently and I reluctantly accept the cake, letting him feed it too me.<br>"I see the appeal to this, it's slightly erotic," he comments forking off another piece and feeding it to me. He brushes the hair off my face and kisses my lips gently, but I can't bring myself to respond. There was a life growing inside of me, and now it's gone, dead. A baby, I could have had a baby, his baby… our baby.  
>"Are you going to talk to me Celestia? My beautiful fiancé."<br>I lay silent and unmoving.  
>"You say everything happens for a reason, this too will have its reason Celestia" he speaks calmly feeding me another bite of cake and helping me to the shower, my belly hurting terribly.<p>

* * *

><p><p>

The next two weeks go by like this, I stay in bed allowing my body to heal, Severus brings me food, takes me to the shower, lays with me until I sleep and leaves early for classes. Poppy comes in, giving me the all clear, my body having healed very quickly. Tonight when Severus climbs into bed with me, I climb onto his lap, kissing his lips emotionally.  
>"Take me Severus" I murmur as I trail kisses down his neck.<br>"I don't think so".  
>"Severus..."<br>"Not yet."  
>I capture his lips with mine and begin to unbutton his shirt, pulling it open and trailing kisses across his chest.<br>"You are trying to get me to impregnate you again Celestia."  
>"No! I'm not, it's been two weeks without your touch and I think I may go mad if you don't touch me Severus." I whisper as he stares at me unmoving.<p>

"I do not believe you are telling me the whole truth." he speaks slowly.

"I do wish it hadn't happened like this, but they said I would never get pregnant, yet I did. I think it's a sign. Maybe we are meant to have a child, just not now. So… can you entertain this just for a moment Severus?"  
>"I will not keep doing this to you Celestia, look at what you have been through these past two weeks, I won't watch you go through this again, I care for you too much to do that to you."<br>"Severus... please!"  
>"This conversation is over, protected or not at all."<br>"Get out." I whisper venomously.  
>"What?" He frowns, "Celestia surely you aren't serious." he responds, shocked.<p>

"Get out, and don't come back!" I snarl, fighting back tears and watching him rise from the bed and storm from the room.

* * *

><p><p>

For the next two months I get back to teaching and take my meals alone in my room, immersing myself in my books and marking and lesson plans. My sister eats breakfast with me every morning, never once mentioning Severus, or the baby. Just sitting in my company. She crawls into my bed each night and lays with me, knowing I need her silent companionship.

One night in late February I open my eyes to see Severus in my doorframe, he approaches my sister waking her gently and asking her to leave us alone, she nods sleepily, wandering from the room. I watch as he scans me and I feel the tears well up in my eyes. His gaze falls on my hand that is no longer wearing his ring, abandoned days after I kicked him out, his face shows a flash of something and his eyes look glassy.  
>"You're really done with me then?" He whispers as he blinks his eyes rapidly.<br>"I don't want to be Severus, but we seem to be at an impasse."  
>"Put your ring back on, now… please..."<br>"Severus..."  
>"Then, I will leave it to fate, if I must" he mutters "I can't be without you Celestia, this has been unbearable..."<br>I move from the bed and pull my ring out of a jewellery box, and drop it into his hand. I press my thin frame against him, wrapping my arms around his waist. I notice his gaze is down on my breasts which had gotten larger when I had been pregnant.

"One day I will carry your child" I whisper, grabbing his hands and putting them on my belly. "Swollen here with your child growing inside me" I continue moving his hands up to my breasts "swollen here with milk to feed our baby" I finish, feeling Severus grow hard against me.

"I still disagree with this, I think this is going to bring more emotional distress for you, but you are hell bent and I can't live without you, not anymore. I will try Celestia" he whispers.

I drop to my knees in front of him and pull him hastily from his confines, running my tongue over his throbbing length, earning a sigh and a drop of his salty dew. I groan, having missed him. I take his length in my mouth swirling and flicking my tongue at him until his body begins to tremble. He tries to pull away, but I want to finish it. I suck hard and with a grunt and an incoherent mumbling, he spills and drops to his knees wrapping his arms around me and pulling me tightly to his chest, his whole body trembling from his release.

When we are done, he slips the ring back onto my finger and closes his mouth over mine, kissing me deeply before pulling back with a disgusted face.  
>"don't like your flavour." I smirk knowing what the face was about.<br>"You do?" He comments dryly, raising his eyebrow at me.  
>"It's not horrible" I shrug.<br>"I beg to differ" he drawls standing and looking in my liquor cabinet, pulling out a bottle of vodka and taking a swig from it. I snort and then burst into a fit of laughter. He turns glaring at me and I laugh harder. He clears the room pulling me onto my feet and shoves me towards the bed. As I climb on, he pours me a glass of wine and pushes it into my hand.

"I'm not kissing you again until you drink some of that."  
>"That's fine, there are much better uses for your tongue" I smirk, earning a small smile from Severus.<br>"I remember when you were quiet and restrained, what ever happened?" He comments, his tone mocking.  
>"I met a sexy man whose voice alone could make me come, and he turned me into a sex addict."<p>

He snorts shaking his head at me.  
>"How badly addicted?" He whispers, pulling off his shirt and tossing it across the room and climbing onto the bed and on top of me. He grabs my glass of wine, taking a mouthful and lowering his mouth to mine and letting the wine dribble past my lips before devouring them with his own. I tug his belt, pulling his pants down and stroking him gently. He groans and nips my earlobe, breathing his hot breath into my ear and causing a shiver to run through me.<p>

"Take me Severus, please, hard too."

He banishes my clothes and slowly presses two fingers into me and begins a gentle rocking motion, he pulls out his fingers suddenly, but before I can protest he slams into me, the force alone making me come. He raises his eyebrow and smirks at me before losing himself fucking me hard and fast, his mouth leaving marks across my chest and neck. His movements fierce and primal, like a wild beast. He pulls out and moves me so I am on my knees leaning on the headboard and he thrusts into me again. He grabs my hips with a bruising vice grip as he pulls me into each thrust, driving himself deeper into me than ever before. I scream out incoherently, purring like a cat in heat as he claims me. He keeps one hand on my hip and brings the other to my hair, grabbing a handful and jerking my head back, the arching of my back causing him to hit just the right spot inside me, each thrust sending waves through my body, my screams becoming louder and more needy, I feel the tidal wave crash and the orgasm hits me, more powerful than ever before, but he doesn't stop, he keeps driving into me, his breaths ragged and his hands clawing at me desperately.  
>"Severus, come for me." I pant, still fully intoxicated from my orgasm.<p>

He leans forward and sinks his teeth into my back, the pain hits me but he picks up the pace to match it, the pain melting with the incredible feeling of him inside me. His mouth releases me and he calls out my name as he explodes inside. His body trembling uncontrollably, wrapping his arms around me for support, his hot breaths on my back are delicious. He kisses my back over and over and over, holding me tightly to him. I can feel hot drops hitting my back and I try to move to see him but he holds me in place.

I pull out of his grasp and turn while pushing him back into a sitting position and climbing into his lap.  
>He's looking away from me.<br>"Talk to me, Severus."  
>"You abandoned me, you took off your ring because I didn't agree with your actions, I don't feel that this relationship is as certain as it once was Celestia."<p>

"It wasn't as simple as that Severus, there are memories I haven't shared, no one knows, and knowing I can get pregnant has given me hope I haven't had in many years."  
>"This has something to do with why you were told you can't have kids?"<br>"Yes, I'm sorry that I did that to you, I'm sorry I broke my promise to you, it won't happen again Severus"  
>"Tell me what happened Celestia..." he prods me gently, wrapping his arms possessively around me.<br>"My father didn't just beat me Severus."  
>"I assumed as much" he whispers and I look at him confused. "I pieced that together, you don't let people touch you and haven't ever... as I understand. Yet when we had sex for the first time, you weren't a virgin. I assumed that he had had you. Your sister confirmed my suspicion when she made a comment about giving yourself to a husband and you told her that that wasn't ever going to happen that way."<br>"Oh."  
>"Did he impregnate you?"<br>"Yes, and as horrible as it sounds, I protected that baby as best I could."  
>"The baby would have had complications, incest among purebloods always—"<br>"He's not my biological father Severus, mother had an affair with a pureblood wizard while she was here in England, never told us who so I assume he is married and paid her off to keep her mouth shut."

"What happened to your baby?"  
>"When I started to show, I tried to hide it but he noticed one day while he was… well... he noticed. He cut me open and tore it from my body, left it and me there to die, I was about fifteen weeks pregnant I think, it was so small Severus..." I pause, breaking into a sob and Severus pulls me tighter to his chest.<p>

"Scar tissue from the cut?"  
>"And infection, I bled out for a few hours before mother found me and healed me. But I ended up with a bad infection that caused more scarring. Mother called a mediwitch when father went out a few weeks later, I had been down with a fever and chills, my whole body ached horribly. She told me that day that the scar tissue was almost everywhere, but had covered my cervix, which would prevent me from ever getting pregnant"<br>"I will find a way to heal you, I will give you a family Celestia, I'm sorry for not—"  
>"Don't apologize, I was wrong to tell you to leave, can you forgive me Severus?"<p>

"Celestia, when you left me I felt something… it felt like… broken , I'm not angry, there's no other way to put it but I am addicted and can not be without you, and you have given me a purpose, something I haven't had since before the war, I need you to promise me you will never leave my side again."  
>"I promise Severus, that I won't ever leave you"<br>"You will marry me when the semester ends." he comments firmly  
>"Are you asking?"<br>"No, I'm telling you, I am demanding it of you, if I'm going to impregnate you, you are going to belong to me."  
>"Ok, I understand, and it owe you that much"<br>"If you want to be pregnant you will let me take you whenever and wherever I want."  
>"Okay." I whisper, knowing he means business. "If you are going to give me a baby, you can do as you wish with me Severus."<p>

He nods quietly and there is a small pop as an elf appears in front of us, looking terribly uncomfortable at our nakedness "Mr Malfoy is here, he wishes to speak with you."

"Draco or Lucius?"

"Lucius Malfoy, sir."

"Bring him here," he grumbles as the elf pops away. He mutters a spell and we are both clothed and he lifts me gently to my feet, kissing me deeply and moving over to my sitting area, pulling a bottle of Whiskey from the cabinet and summoning two glasses. There is a knock at my door and it opens, spilling in a beautiful blonde couple around the same age as Severus. Both survey me before joining Severus to sit, I stand glued to the spot until Severus gestures for me to come to his seat. I move towards him and he gestures his company to me.  
>"This is Celestia, my fiancée."<br>"I'm impressed Severus, where are you from dear? Who are your parents?"  
>"I'm from Canada, the man who raised me is Vicktor Vicer and my mother is Athene Piccune"<br>"Athene Piccune? I know who she is, what do you mean, man who raised you?"  
>"My mother had an affair and got pregnant, he's not my biological father, she said once he was a pureblood she met while she was here visiting England, never said who"<br>"Dear Merlin" he whispers in alarm.  
>"Let me guess? Another woman you slept with Lucius?"<br>Lucius nods quietly thinking for a few minutes "what year were you born?"  
>"... summer of 75..."<br>He stops and thinks again.  
>"Lucius is there a possibility that she is your daughter?" The blonde witch asks calmly.<br>"There is, though this was years before I married you. Severus can you have your nurse run her blood?"  
>Severus looks at me and when I nod he summons an elf to get poppy to do a blood run.<br>She shows up a few minutes later with a questioning glance.  
>"Can you compare Celestia's blood to Lucius' please?"<br>She nods and starts casting the spells, the two vials fill with blood from each of us and begin spinning in the air.  
>"If they stay separate, it's a no, if they fuse then it's a match."<br>We all sit silently for what seems like an hour when suddenly the two vials fuse together and drops into poppies hand. I freeze, grabbing Severus to keep from collapsing.  
>"You have a daughter Lucius"<br>"Two, she has a twin sister." Severus comments quietly "I cannot believe that you of all people, are my future wife's father" he finishes shaking his head. Poppy gathers up her stuff and excuses herself, quickly leaving the present company.  
>Lucius stands and steps towards me, I quickly step back from him and he looks at me confused.<br>"Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, Celestia. They've been friends of mine for many years."  
>I nod and take a place standing protected behind Severus' chair, Lucius gaze still on me.<br>"I know reputation precedes him, but you don't need to be afraid dear," comes Narcissa's soothing voice.  
>"It's nothing personal, I don't do physical" I whisper looking down.<p>

"What has happened to you child?" She asks calmly  
>I look to Severus who nods, encouraging me to speak, but we are interrupted by a knock at the door and Astra walking in.<br>"Lucius, Narcissa, this is Astra, Celestia's twin  
>"Astra, Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, good friends of mine and—" Severus starts,<br>"Our biological father" I finish quietly still shocked

Astra looks from me to Lucius who is still standing. She clears the distance and wraps her arms around him.  
>"It's nice to meet you sir" she smiles taking a step back.<br>Lucius looks from Astra to me and back, clearly confused by the difference in behaviour. The room is bathed in silence and he continues going back and forth between us.  
>"So, your fiancée, when are you planning on getting married?" Narcissa speaks, trying to ease the tension.<br>"The first or second week of summer vacation" Severus drawls  
>"Really! Does this mean I get to go shopping with you Celestia?"<br>"Why don't you have the wedding at our house? I'm sure Lucius would be happy to host it" Narcissa smiles and Lucius nods quietly.

"Wow, the infamous Malfoy Manor, that's a score Celestia! We're Malfoys, that's brilliant, you must be relieved to be able to pull away from—"  
>"Shut up Astra" I snap<br>"Celestia, he's our—"  
>"I've known him ten minutes, he doesn't need to know my business."<br>"Celestia!"  
>"What, you think everything is just going to be great and we will skip off into the sunset like life is perfect? It isn't going to happen, so just stop."<br>Astra opens her mouth to speak and Severus raises his hand to tell her to stop, she nods quietly and I head for the door.  
>"Where are you going Celestia?" Severus asks me, his tone warning<br>"Anywhere but here" I respond coldly pulling open the door.  
>"No you are not, come back and sit, now" he growls<br>I turn and look at him, about to test the waters when I see the look on his face and decide against it. Closing the door and slowly moving back to his side.

"I don't know if I should be impressed or concerned that she won't mouth you off" Astra comments, eyeing Severus in concern. 

**"Get it off your chest Astra, I am done with your assumptions"  
>"I don't know how you got through her toweringly high walls, but I have a theory that you are controlling her"<br>"He isn't Astra, he has never hurt me or pushed me to do anything against my will, stop acting like this, it's mortifying."  
>"So is putting up with your pathetic behaviour for so many years, get over it!" She spits and I lunge, Severus' arm snakes around my waist stopping me from moving. He raises his eyebrow at Astra who glares at him.<br>"Let me go Severus or I swear to Merlin I'll knock you one"  
>"Run" he whispers to Astra before letting me go. I immediately lunge, jumping over the ottoman and disappearing out into the castle.<br>"Do they fight a lot?" Lucius asks watching the door slam behind us.  
>"It's a sister thing Lucius, it's normal. I want to know what happened to her Severus?"<br>"The man who raised her... abused, raped and tortured her, she took it to protect Astra from it. I believe that's why she gets angry when Astra pushes her, that and I'm certain she has never told her sister how bad it was, she has recently confided secrets to me that made my stomach turn, eleven years of abuse, she's got a good heart but she's heavily guarded."  
>"She will warm up when she settles into a family life, give her a baby Severus, she will come around."<br>"I'm working on it, she's two weeks off a miscarriage. They told her she couldn't have kids"  
>"Barren?" Lucius asks concerned.<br>"Scarred and don't ask, that is between us."  
>"The poor child, Lucius why don't we put together the wedding and see about finding one of the best mediwitches to see if they can't help?"<br>Lucius sits quietly, lost in his thoughts, looking rather at a loss for words, and another emotion foreign to him, before he nods.  
>"It's the least I can do, I will pay for and arrange everything for the second week of summer." He pauses thinking for a moment "Tell her to invite them"<br>"Lucius? Whatever it is you are thinking to do—" Narcissa starts worried.  
>"He won't have a chance to because I assure you I will get to him first" Severus finishes coldly.<br>"Did her mother know?" Lucius asks, the anger in his voice evident.  
>"I don't know how much she knew, but I do know that she attempted to heal her after the most traumatic of events."<br>"And it continued?"  
>"Yes"<br>"Then she deserves an end as well."  
>"Lucius please, you'll go back to Azkaban..."<br>"No I won't, this needs to be done, and then I will retire the unforgivables Narcissa."  
>"This is the last time Lucius, same for you Severus. you're getting married, it's time for you two to stop living like death eaters, the war has passed."<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

I had caught up to Astra in an empty hall and wailed on her until I broke into tears.

"Why do you have to push me? What can't you just leave me be?" I whimper at her, blood running from her mouth and nose and I am hit with a pang of guilt.

"I'm sorry Astra" I whisper

"I push you because I love you and want to see you heal and move forward, and because I am alone because I have spent all my time since we left home with you, relying in you so you had a purpose, I knew you didn't want to be here anymore, you wanted to give up. I couldn't let you, I knew if I found someone and I didn't need you that you would be finished, so I stayed alone! I can't do it anymore, we've both had a hard life, I get it, but it's time to get over it"

"The things you don't know would break you Astra, stop pushing me"

"Stop hiding things from me! Just tell me!"

"He wanted you! Not me! Everything that happened to me, happened because I was protecting you! Beaten, raped, tortured, all to protect you. I gave in so he would leave you alone!" I shout at her, tears running from my eyes. She stares at me unmoving.

"He—he raped you?" She whispers.

"And worse, so stop pushing me! You got it easy, the occasional smack or screaming at and you think you get it, you don't so back off!" I scream standing and running off, down through the dungeons into Severus room and crawling into the bed pulling the covers up and crying myself to sleep.

"Celestia, Celestia, you missed dinner, I didn't know you were here or I would have brought you some" comes Severus voice.

"I don't want food"

"Celestia.."

He pulls the covers off me and groans, his hands sliding over my body pressing my dress up. Panties disappear and he flips me onto my back pressing his fingers into me and immediately working me hard to a quick release.

"More Severus, please"

"I want to talk to you first, I'm brewing some potions that I'm hoping will help" he comments unenthusiastically "several you will have to drink, and one that will have to be directly injected, but that won't be ready for a few months"

"Thank you Severus, I know you don't want this—"

"No I don't, but I won't lose you over it either, so there is no point in revisiting this" he interrupts rather coldly and I nod quietly, his mood has changed and I can see he is no longer in the mood. I slide off my dress tossing it to the floor and following it with my bra. I run my hands up over my flat stomach, to my breasts cupping and squeezing them gently with a soft moan, his eyes follow my hands back down my belly, gently pulling open the warm folds and exposing myself to him completely. I slowly press two of my long slender fingers into my deep warmth and begin ever so slowly moving them in and out, harder and harder, faster and faster I go, through my heavy lids I watch as he strips down. I groan louder strumming my ever aching core. I watch as he grips his cock firmly and begins stroking it hard. Soon he is groaning too and with one more strum I come hard, unable to continue Severus taking over, his fingers mercilessly forcing me through the orgasm before thrusting his whole length into me hard, two thrusts and he spills his entire being into me and drops onto the bed beside me panting. I move to get up and he pushes me back down into the bed roughly.

"I'm not done with you yet, your little show has left me quite hungry for you Celestia, I hope you are prepared for a long night"

"I doubt that, you're far to old to go all night" I wink and he raises his eyebrow at me.

"Challenge accepted woman" he smirks turning onto his side and pressing two fingers deep into me and thrusting them in and out hard, immediately sending waves of pleasure through me, he brings me to the brink of release and stops abruptly, pulling his hand away.

"Severus! I was about to come" I whimper

"Oh, were you? I hadn't noticed, in my old age I must be slipping" he smirks

"You can't do that, Severus it's unfair"

"Did you want something?" He asks teasingly

"Yes" I breathe

"What is it that you want?"

"Severus!"

"I'm not giving you anything until you beg for it"

"Severus please"

"Getting warmer"

"Severus please! Fuck me, I want to come for you"

"Mmmm, that's what I wanted to hear" he growls climbing on top of me and easing in slowly. He takes his time, slow, gentle, even thrusts. His beautiful black eyes boring into mine. I groan in frustration at his gentle strokes.

"Severus" I breathe and he gives me an expecting look.

"Severus, harder, fuck me hard, I need you to take me, I want you to dominate me, control me"

he pulls out and grabs me roughly pulling me up, turning me around and bending me over the headboard. He grabs my wrists holding them to the wall above my head and positions himself at my wet entrance, rubbing the head of his cock up and down the tight wet slit. I groan and try to push back on him. He let's go of my wrists and slaps me hard on the ass.

"please, baby please, I need to feel you inside of me"

"You want me to fuck you like a whore?" He growls in my ear.

"Yes, baby please"

"Please what?" He whispers rubbing his head against me again, I can feel all the muscles inside me clenching with anticipation.

"Fuck me like a whore, please Severus!" I beg and he thrusts into me hard. He pulls back until only his head is buried in me and thrusts forward hard again. Over and over again, his hard thrusts getting faster and harder. He begins biting random spots on my back hard, I can feel the skin bruising under his painful bites and I groan feeling my orgasm approaching.

"Getting close aren't you whore" he growls against my skin, sending a shiver through me

"Yes sir" I breathe, my body beginning to tremble.

He thrusts into me with one last bestial thrust and I shatter into pieces and slump forward onto the headboard panting heavily. Severus pulls out and drops onto the bed beside me tugging my arm, I look at him, still in a daze and he points down to his throbbing cock.

"Mouth, now" he commands and I move quickly down the bed and sink my mouth down, taking as much of him in as I can. I pick up a gentle bob, rolling my tongue over his head earning a groan. He thrusts forward forcing himself deeper and his hand comes up and tangles into my hair forcing me to stay put, he trusts forward again and again before letting me up for air. I slide my hand forward cupping and massaging his warm balls earning another groan. I run my tongue up and down his length before sinking down onto it again. I pick up a fierce bob listening to his deep moans. I smirk against him and as I pull up I carefully scrape my teeth against him earning a hiss of appreciation. I do it over and over until he pushes me away breathing deeply. He pushes me back onto the bed muttering a cleaning spell and lowering his mouth to me. I can feel his hot breath against my throbbing core and a small groan escapes my lips. He drags his fingers teasingly up my inner thighs, watching me carefully. I buck my hips at him and he gives me another warning glance.

"Please baby, I want your mouth"

His tongue snakes out, running through my wetness and retracting again.

"More, please Severus,more" I groan.

He dives in taking my swollen clit into his mouth and sucking and nipping at it mercilessly.

"Yes, yes Severus" I groan moving my hands to the back of his head. Immediately he stops and I remove my hands, realizing that that to him was me trying to take control, and tonight that was not going to be tolerated.

"I'm sorry, please, please keep going" I beg and he continues immediately. Within a few intense moments I break again and he pushes two fingers into me thrusting them wildly as my orgasm rips through me. He keeps thrusting them and twisting them, bringing me quickly to another orgasm. He smirks and climbs up my body grabbing one of my nipples between his teeth, tugging it and sucking it until it hardens then moves to the other giving it equal treatment. He straddles my slender hips cupping my breasts and squeezing them roughly. He watches my reaction carefully, if watch him unmoving. He drags his fingers firmly over my belly leaving faint red marks and his mouth captures mine, his tongue pushing roughly past my lips and invading and exploring the inside of my warm mouth. He trails kisses across my jawbone, his fingers dragging roughly over my soft body. He trails the kisses down to my neck and closes his mouth sucking hard on my flesh and pulling off with a soft pop, he runs his fingers over the spot with a groan.

"That mark looks beautiful on you Tia, don't cover it up, I want everyone to know you are mine"

"I'm engaged to marry you my love"

"Yet you've told no one, even your sister is unaware, are you ashamed to be with me?"

"No"

"Good" he breathes bringing his mouth back to my neck just below the first mark and closes his mouth over my flesh again.

"Claim me my love"

He sucks my flesh in again and pops off leaving another burning spot.

He moves his position and presses my legs open, rubbing his head a few times before thrusting hard into me again. He picks up a rough rhythm pounding me unrelenting. He goes harder and faster, all I can hear is the slapping of flesh and the mixture of his groans and my screams. I hear the door open but I don't care and either does he. In and out over and over, both of us fighting for release. I arch up grabbing his nipple with my teeth and he growls thrusting into me once more and spilling into me again with a scream. He muffles it quickly closing his mouth over the pale swell of my breast and leaving another perfect mark, one more thrust and I break, sure my screams can be heard from the great hall by now, with each passing orgasm they get more intense and mind-shattering. I drop back onto the pillow and Severus comes down on top of me, the weight of his strong body crushing me for a moment until he pulls out of me and lays so his head is on my chest. I make eye contact with my sister who stands in the doorway, a small flush noticeable across her cheeks. Severus hand travels down my stomach and presses his fingers into me again, immediately starting to work me. My body is so sensitive that the contact makes me whimper.

"had enough Celestia?" He smirks

"No, I just need a break"

"You take a break, I win" he smirks and starts working me again, within a few short moments of whimpering and incoherent cries I shatter, my body spasming uncontrollably.

"whatever bet you had, I think you just won" Astra smirks as I lay, eyes closed, body still being rocked by the waves.

"Take her" I whisper, my voice shaky

"Celestia.." He grumbles

"rough, you like it rough, show me" I pant gesturing to my sister.

Severus stands from the bed and moves to my sister, circling her twice before stopping in front of her.

"Please Snape, just this one move time?" She whispers

he runs his hand down her cheek softly and shakes his head.

"You are beautiful, but I cannot do this, and I will not. I have potions to brew if you will excuse me" he whispers, waving his wand and dressing himself and disappearing out the door.

"You might want to clean up there Celestia"

"No, I quite like him leaving me messy"

"I'm sorry about earlier, I had no idea Celestia"

"It's fine"

"You realize Amy other man on the face of the planet would be thrilled to take two chicks, you had to pick the one that wouldn't?"

"He's a loyal man, a good trait I suppose"

"I never would have guessed he had such a sexy body under all those layers, you must have been surprised"

"I didn't really pay any mind to it to be honest, the first time was overwhelming"

"You should have picked someone smaller" she laughs "he's not exactly starter sized"

I snort and pull his blankets up over me. Astra pulls the covers and climbs into the bed beside me snuggling up to me and dozing off. At some point during the night I hear Severus' irritated grumbling at finding her in his bed and I feel him climb in at my opposite side and wrap his arms around me. I slip my hand back and begin stroking him through his black sweatpants. He groans and bites my shoulder. He reaches down freeing his cock from the restraining pants and turns me onto my side, pushing into me slowly from behind. I gasp and groan quietly.

"I told you I wasn't done" he whispers in my ear, thrusting into me hard. I groan out and Astra's eyes flutter open. She surveys the scene, Severus trailing kisses down my shoulder while he thrusts in and out of me and she smiles.

"You won't take me, but you'll let me watch you fuck her, that's cruel"

He ignores her and keeps thrusting harder and harder. Astra reaches over me and runs her hand down Severus' cheek, he tips his head up looking at her while he continues to fuck me, my moans encouraging him on. Astra tips my head up and her lips meet mine, her tongue pressing past my lips. I return her kiss, high from the waves of desire flooding through me. Bringing me fingers up into her hair. I hear Severus groan and he pulls out of me pulling me back into his spot and climbing into the spot between us.

"Get undressed" he growls coldly at Astra.

I run my hand up his chest as Astra quickly strips off her clothes and climbs back onto the bed.

"You want it, take it" he growls and she climbs on top of him, straddles him and guides him into her sinking slowly down with a gasp. He grabs her thighs and drives up hard into her, her scream of pleasure resonating through the room. He drives into her over and over again, I watch as she looses herself in the heat like I always do.

"Play with her baby, please?" I beg and he pulls me forward into a deep kiss.

He breaks free and his hands come up to her breasts squeezing them hard.

She moans in encouragement and he smirks. He pulls her off of him and puts her over the headboard, pushing into her again. He brings her arms back behind her and with a mumble rope binds her wrists together. He stops and looks at me checking to make sure I am ok. I feel uneasy but I look to my sister who is smirking and I nod him on. He raises a hand and brings it down hard on her ass with a loud slap and then follows it with a deep hard thrust. Another hard slap and another thrust. Finally when her ass is hot and red he takes to pounding her hard. He growls deep in his throat and wraps his hand around her throat, tipping her head back to him and he bucks against her harder, the motion rocking the entire bed as he fucks her, slamming her against the headboard over and over until she screams out shattering around him. She begs him to come for her, pleads as the waves wash over her and he covers her mouth fucking her hard into a second orgasm. He places his hand on her back dragging it down hard, bringing droplets of blood to her smooth perfect skin. Over and over he claws at her body, pounding her hard. He pulls out and flips her over lowering his mouth, he bites her inner thighs hard drawing blood and continues a trail up until he hits her core but he backs away.

"please Snape" she begs him and he shakes his head.

"Only her"

"I'm not asking you to impregnate me Snape!" She snaps irritably and he slaps her hard across the face. Climbing back on and thrusting into her hard, he supports himself, one hand on the bed and the other on her throat, fucking her hard while she gasps for breath. I feel my body starting to tremble and I put my hand on his back.

He nods taking his hand off her throat and moving into a gentler rhythm.

"I could carry a child for the two of you, my DNA is the same as hers Severus, I could give you a baby"

"No" he growls pulling off of her and grabbing his pants.

He pulls them on and drops into a chair by the fire pouring himself a glass of whiskey. Astra moves from the bed and pulls on her clothes and moves to the seat in front of him.

"I wasn't trying to make you angry, I was just trying to help"

"I don't want your help, I want you to back off. I did this for her, not you. I don't even like you"

"that's fine, it doesn't hurt me that the pathetic half blood doesn't want to be my buddy"

As soon as the word halfblooded rolls off her tongue I am off the bed and in her face and I slap her hard across the face, my nails cutting into her cheek. Severus wraps his arm around my waist pulling me away and orders her out of the room. He pulls me into his lap on the chair and finishes his drink quietly.

"are you cold?"

"And sore" I whisper

He picks me up and moves me to the bed, sliding in behind me. He accio's a bottle of oil and pours some into his hands and begins to rub my back, sliding his hands over my sore, used up body. I groan as he works my tight shoulders and kneads his hands down my spine. For an hour he works me expertly until he trails his hands around me, pulling me back. He trails kisses down my neck and nips my earlobe.

"Let me finish woman"

"If you make love to me Severus, you have a romantic side, I want it"

"Celestia.."

"you don't need to be afraid to be softer around me" I start, turning to face him. "You have me completely and forever"

Severus rips a strip off the curtains and wraps it around my eyes and moves me back against the pillows. He climbs off the bed and other than his movements I hear nothing for a few moments. I feel him climb back on the bed and he unites the soft fabric. The room is bathed in total darkness except the candles lit on the bedside tables. He slides up my body kissing me deeply, his hands guiding himself into me and then finding the headboard and the small of my back. I bring my arms up around his neck and hold him, out lips locking in a delicate and patient exploration as his rocking motion strums steadily. The kiss doesn't end until we shatter together and collapse in a sweaty heap on the bed, no walls between us tonight as he lays, head on my chest and fingers entwined with mine, nothing but the sound of our breathing.


	6. Chapter 6

"Celestia, Celestia, please wake up" Astra pleads, I keep my eyes closed and bury my face into Severus more.

"Celestia please, don't ignore me"

"Why shouldn't I? How dare you speak to him like that!" I snap and feel Severus squeeze my hand.

"He is a half blood Celestia, The only reason everyone is ok with it is because you've been damaged."

"Are you included in that? Because by all means if you're ashamed of me then walk away, I wouldn't want to bring you down into disgrace with me" I snap.

"You don't have to" she whispers

"If you're suggesting what I think you are, you don't get this at all. I won't walk away from him, not ever. He is the only one for me and I thought you got that"

I feel Severus arms snake around my waist and he leans forward kissing me in the head.

"He loves your body, he loves what you do for him, he hasn't told anyone about you, and you haven't told anyone either. You pretend you hate each other when you're around people, you're engaged to be married in 5 months, no one knows except the Malfoy's who are planning the wedding for you. Neither of you are excited. You're more focused on having a baby he doesn't want and will probably never accept. You're too busy being obsessed with getting pregnant to focus in him, and he's too busy being obsessed with you to care. I pity any child that you carry for him, if you ever do, born to a father who will hate and neglect it"

"Enough!" Severus growls

"I would be happy for you if I could see a reason to be, but I don't, I'm sorry. I was happy that you got past your fears, was happy until you agreed to marry him, this is a fling, nothing more than sex Celestia"

"I love your sister" he growls angrily

"Then prove it, there's a staff meeting today, break the news"

"I planned on it" he growls again "now get out"

"The meeting is in an hour" she snarls before storming out.

"I'm sorry that's she's acting like this" I whisper wrapping my arms tighter around him.

"She's right you know, society isn't going to like this, I'm tainting one of the few pureblood women left."

"I'm damaged goods remember? No one cares about me Severus, my sister is still single"

"I don't care about your damages, I care about us, and our future together"

"can I come stay with you this summer?"

"I regret to tell you that you will be severely underwhelmed"

"I'm not a digger, I don't care what your house is like, if I have you I'm happy. I have I house that I bought and paid for from hard earned money, I don't want someone to provide for me. I just want someone to love me Severus"

"that I can do" he whispers kissing my neck. "Make love to me Celestia"

He sits up and I climb onto his lap, straddling him. I kiss him tenderly,then trail kisses across his jawbone and down his neck, I wrap my arms around him trailing the kisses back up, nipping his neck. He groans softly and I capture his lips again raising myself up and sinking down on his hard cock, taking him deep into me with a sigh. I bring my hands up his back grabbing his shoulders as I move slowly up and down, smothering him in delicate kisses over his neck and his face. I nip his earlobe as I sink down again. My hot breath causing him to groan. I start to pick up a quicker pace and he grabs hold to slow me down.

"slow baby, I want to feel you" he whispers and I nod and begin moving slowly again, dragging my fingers in slow sensual trails along his back and shoulders. He groans and lowers his mouth, trailing sweet kisses along my collarbone and gently caressing my breasts, brushing his thumbs carelessly over my nipples which harden instantly with his touch. He runs his tongue over them before blowing a cool. Breeze across them. I lose focus, my body succumbing to his heat and he flips us, his muscles rippling as he grinds in and out of me, a look of focus and restraint mixed with passion on his face. He shifts his position slightly so every sweet stroke hits that sweet spot buried inside me his pace increasing but staying gentle until I climax and he sails over the edge with me pushing himself in as deep as he can and spilling his seed into me. He lowers himself onto the bed beside me, taking my hand and lifting it to his mouth, kissing and nipping at my fingers.

"we had better get going, we have fifteen minutes"

"That's enough time for a quickie though isn't it?"

"After the staff meeting Celestia, Merlin you are insatiable"

We arrive at the meeting sitting next to each other at the table, several topics are discussed. Heads needing to reinforce school boundaries and absences from classes, reinforcing curfew as the amount of kids wandering halls was getting out of Hand. Upcoming O.w.l.s and N.e.w.t.s. Uniforms being inappropriately worn etc…

"Does anyone else have anything to add?" Minerva finishes

I watch as Astra stares pointedly at Severus.

"I do" he speaks calmly "this coming summer Celestia and I are to be married"

"Get out of town!" Aurora squeals "you two are together? For how long?"

"About five weeks into this semester" I smile flashing the ring.

"Is she pregnant? It seems a little quick" comes Minerva's concerned voice

"No" he responds cold as ice. "I'm not taking the risk of losing her"

"I was pregnant, I miscarried a few weeks ago, didn't know I was pregnant until then, so that isn't the reason for the proposal, it was before that"

"I just don't see you two as a pair" comments professor sprout honestly.

"They're perfect for each other, you don't see it because they both have mile high walls, I've seen them at their weakest and I think they are good for each other" poppy inserts cheerfully "congratulations"

"I need to excuse myself, I have a potion brewing" and with that Severus stands and leaves.

The chatter about us continues for a bit and then I leave to find Severus.

When I walk into his office he has his back to me stirring the potion carefully. I come up behind him, wrapping my arms around him and reaching down stroking him through his pants.

"Celestia wait" he responds coldly as he begins bottling the potion into small vials, cooling one in the process and handing it to me.

"Take that"

"that's why you're in a mood" I shove the vial back into his hand and turn to leave "just forget about it" and I storm out the door.

I storm through the halls and into my room slamming the door behind me and flopping down into the chair, a house elf appears moments later bringing me lunch and I eat alone. The longer I sit in the room by myself the more angry I grow at the situation. Why can't he just get over himself, his moods are making me crazy. Astra comes in and drops into the chair across from me, crossing her legs gracefully.

"What's wrong Celestia"

"why would I tell you"

"I'm your sister, your best friend"

"Not lately, look at the way you treated him today, I can't forgive you for that"

"I'll make it up to him, just not yet. He offended me too Celestia"

"How"

"He denies me time and time again"

"He's fucked you Astra"

"That was all, I want him to come, to taste me, but instead he acts repulsed by me"

"he denies you because he is mine, he doesn't want me pregnant, he's not going to take a risk with you."

"I'll find a way" she smiles leaning in to kiss me on the lips and leaving.

I take dinner alone and climb into bed shortly after, wrapping the covers tightly around myself and dozing off to sleep.

I wake feeling arms wrap around me and pull me close. I pull out of his arms and he grabs me tighter.

"Shhh it's me"

"Oh, I'm aware" I snap

"You're angry"

"Yep"

"why, never mind I know why. You're angry because I don't want a baby and I don't want to talk about a baby and even though you know I don't you have forced me to comply by forcing to choose you and a child or nothing at all. Of course I am going to choose you, I love you and I need you. I have done my best to please you. But you can't force someone to do something and expect them to be happy about it"

"I suppose not, there really isn't even a small part of you that is excited about any of it?"

"Your body pregnant yes, a baby no"

I turn looking at him and wrap my arms around him.

"I wish you could see yourself like I do, you'd be a brilliant father. You didn't want to talk about wife before, it grew on you. Can you please try to let this grow on you too"

He pulls open a vial of potion and brings it to my lips. I open my mouth slightly and her pours the cold potion past my lips and I swallow before he overtakes me.

The next 5 months are back to normal almost, Astra and I are ok again, Having made her apologize to Severus. Twice a day he brings me potion to drink and makes love to me each time. Astra still flirts desperately but is now trying to get in good graces with the pureblood literature teacher. I have spent the last five months desperately trying to convince Severus he will enjoy being a father, but he hasn't budged, instead I think he has begun to find my constant attempts amusing.

It's the morning of our wedding and I sit watching the tailor make last minute adjustments to my deep rush purple satin dress, in here, out here. When a wave of nausea hits me, I run for the bathroom promptly vomiting , I drop to the floor leaning over the toilet when I feel it, a brutal pain sweeping over my abdomen and a small rush of fluid between my legs. I immediately put my hand between my legs and when I pull it up it is bloody. I feel my heart sink and I break into sobs as the pain overtakes me. I must have lost consciousness because when I open my eyes I am tucked tightly into a bed with a heating spell placed on it. Astra and Narcissa are chatting across the room and Severus and Lucius stand talking to the mediwitch. Severus makes eye contact with me and gives me a sympathetic look.

" we're postponing the wedding Celestia" Narcissa whispers sitting down gently beside me. "You know what's happening I assume?"

"Another miscarriage" I whisper and she nods

"I'm sorry dear" she whispers

"It's fine, and don't cancel it, we can still get married, privately up here. The party can go on without me, it was going to be that way anyways.

" there are certain traditions that need to be observed, your father won't have it any other way. You would need to make it through the service and a first dance then you could leave"

"If you can find me something strong for pain I can do this"

"You aren't doing anything" comes Severus cold voice

"yes I am, this is the one time I'm not going to back down Severus, they put everything together, I can handle a few hours with some pain meds"

"Celestia please"

"No Severus, we are getting married, please just find me some medication" I finish with a wince.

Narcissa returns with a few vials handing them to me and kicking the men out of the room.

"We have half an hour to get you ready Celestia, are you sure?"

"yes" I respond downing the bottles and forcing myself up from the bed pushing the pain down.

"Do you not care or are you just shutting it off?" Astra asks me carefully.

"I care more than you can imagine, I don't have time to stop and do this right now" I respond coldly.

"it's really messed up how you can just turn stuff off"

"It works for me so I don't really care"

The tailor brings in my dress and my sister and Narcissa help me get it on. The beautiful rich purple complimenting my skin nicely, the strapless mermaid style hugging my curves like a second skin. I watch as the tailor wraps a black ribbon sash around the black lace covered dress and ties it in an elegant bow slightly off to the side. Narcissa approaches me with a black diamond choker and puts it carefully around my neck. She charms my hair up into a tight bun on the back of my head leaving two strands on either side of my head to frame my face. She carefully does my makeup giving me a dramatic smoky eye and stepping back with a smile.

"you look beautiful Celestia" she smiles checking the time. "We had better go, are you ok?"

"If I'm not I'll tell you I assure you" I grumble irritably.

We head down the corridors standing just out of eyeshot of the grand foyer where the wedding is taking place and Narcissa summons Lucius up and her and Astra head down the grand staircase to take their places. Lucius holds out his arm and I step back from him uneasily.

"I know you don't know me, and I suppose I understand if you don't want to. I wish I had known about you and your sister, I would have taken you away from all that. I can't undo what has happened to you, but I am your father, and I'm here for you if and when you need me. I won't hurt you, not ever. Family is the thing I value above all else, talk to Draco sometime and he will tell you that Celestia. Please let me walk you down the aisle"

I take a deep breath trying to calm myself before stepping forward and taking his arm. The music starts in the distance and he looks to me with a smile.

"Are you ready?" He asks me gently and I step forward in response, the pain medication starting to take the edge off. We step to the top of the staircase and there is a collective gasp and applause as the huge crowd of people takes notice of me, I feel myself start to tremble. Lucius leans in whispering encouragement and we start carefully down the two story high staircase. I slow my steps in anxiety and Lucius leans over again.

"Focus on only him, no one else is here"

I look up at Severus for the first time and he looks concerned. I put on my best smile and continue down the steps. Severus looks so handsome at the end of the path. The smartest looking black dress robes I have ever seen, and a vest in purple so deep it is almost black. I watch as his eyes sweep over my figure in longing and for that moment everything is forgotten. We reach the bottom of the stairs and it takes all my self control not to run to him as we slowly clear the distance and Lucius hands me off to him taking his place beside Severus as his best man. I look to the other men and realize I don't know them at all. I turn my my side and see Narcissa, Astra and Aurora. I take my place standing beside Severus facing Kingsley Shacklebolt who immediately begins to speak. He drawls out a long speech about second chances and broken pieces finding each other and I find myself entranced by the beautiful way he has written this.

"Do you Severus Tobias Snape take Celestia to be your Lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do" he responds clearly

"Do you Celestia Raine Vicer take Severus to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do" I beam unable to contain my joy

We exchange rings and he speaks again.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife, Severus, you may kiss your bride"

Severus steps forward wrapping his arms around my waist gently and swooping down for a long, deep and delicate kiss as the crowd erupts into applause. We exit the room back to my dressing room to change, leaving everyone to find their way to the ball room without us. When the door closes behind us I drop down onto the bed, laying back against the pillows exhaustedly. Severus opens the large elaborately carved wardrobe pulling out my evening gown. A long floor length purple satin gown with a low cut back and a plunging v-neck front and puts it on the bed.

"Are you ok to continue Celestia?"

"For a bit longer, our dance and I will sit it out after that Severus"

he nods pulling me gently to my feet and helping me take off the dress and slide into the new one. He kisses me gently and pulls my hair down from the bun with a smirk.

"Merlin you are beautiful my wife"


	7. Chapter 7

Severus wraps his arm around my waist and leads me down through the halls stopping me at the door to the ball room. Lucius greets us and with a nod he pushes open the heavy carved oak doors and clears his throat. When the room falls silent he steps forward and in a loud voice begins.

"Thank you all for coming, please Welcome to the floor Mr. And Mrs. Severus Snape!"

With the roar of applause, Severus takes my hand and leads me into the room. When we hit the centre of the room the music begins and Severus steps into me moving me with the music. He pulls my body tight against his, my head resting on his hard chest. I close my eyes listening to the music.

*I don't know how you do what you do

I'm so in love with you

It just keeps getting better

I wanna spend the rest of my life

With you by my side

Forever and ever

Every little thing that you do

Baby I'm amazed by you.*

Severus spins us quietly and I open my eyes as the song draws to a close. Severus leading me off the floor and we move to stand with Lucius and Narcissa. I lean back against Severus who has his arms around me and his warm hands crossed gently over my belly.

"It's sad you didn't think to invite us Celestia, we thought you were raised better than that" Comes a voice from behind me that makes me stiffen and pull Severus' arms tighter around me. Victor steps into my line of sight dragging my fearful looking mother behind him. He extends his hand to Severus who hesitates before reluctantly shaking his hand.

"Victor Vicer"

"I know who you are" Severus growls icily

"A little respect would do you good considering your blood status"

"Regardless of my blood I like to think that I am better than some people who are scum despite their pureblood status" Severus snarls feeling me pressing back against him.

"I don't recall inviting either of you into my home" comes Lucius cold voice.

"Ah Lucius Malfoy, and this must be your wife Narcissa. I suppose there's no need to introduce my wife" he responds coldly shoving my mother towards Lucius.

I watch as my mother keeps her eyes down not daring to look up at Lucius. Lucius reaches up tilting her chin up forcing her to look at him.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He speaks angrily, his voice like daggers. She looks down at the floor shifting her feet fearfully.

"You were promised to her, I respected you enough not to ruin that for you Lucius" she whispers

"Respect would have been to tell me, not let them be raised by a monster"

"Monster, Mr. Malfoy, you are hardly in the position to be calling me a monster. I have spent no time in Azkaban, nor do I have blood on my hands like you do, known for torture and murder I think you are the last one to have a right to cast a stone at me"

"I have every right, you abused my daughter"

"Is that what she tells you? She is insane, full of lies"

"Do not ever call my wife a liar, I have seen the scars you left on her body, seen her memories. You have no right to be here" Severus snarls.

"I disciplined the girl, she was out of control. The child was taking drugs, drinking and had made several attempts to take her own life. But she didn't tell you that did she?"

"I can understand that behaviour coming from a child who was raped and abused"

His eyes fall on me dangerously and he narrows his eyes.

"I will stay true to my words, you had better believe it" and he turns dragging my mother away. They stop to talk to Astra who looks at me in sympathy.

"Are you ok Celestia" comes Narcissa's concerned voice

"I think I need to go lay down" I whisper not taking my eyes off him.

Severus moves and Narcissa stops him.

"I'll take her Severus and I'll stay with her, you're needed here"

Narcissa and I head upstairs and I drop onto my knees just inside the door bursting into sobs. Narcissa drops down beside me pulling me into her arms and stroking my hair. The door opens again and Victor stands in the doorway, wand in hand. Narcissa reaches for her wand but it is out of her hand and across the room in seconds. She stands and he grabs her arm flinging her across the room into the wardrobe slamming hard off of it and dropping onto the floor. He turns his attention to me and I shuffle back away from him until my back hits the bed. He grabs me by the hair pulling me up onto my feet and spins me around to face him.

"Halfblood loving whore, I told you I'd kill you if you ever opened that beautiful mouth of yours, stupid girl"

I try desperately to pull away but he yanks me back, pulling my mouth to his and running his tongue over my lips before biting down hard on my lower lip.

"I'll miss you my pet" he whispers shoving me back and raising his wand. Before he can cast the spell Severus has him disarmed and drops his wand charging him and attacking him with brute force.

Severus gets on top of him pinning him to the ground and begins punching him over and over, blood splatter flying everywhere with the force on Severus' blows. Narcissa slips from the room and returns a few moments later with the minister for magic and Lucius. The two men fight to pull Severus off of him, Severus so caught up in a blind rage and covered in blood. They manage to get him off when a bunch of Aurors appear and help pull him away.

They pull victor to his feet and place him and Severus under arrest and begin to pull Victor from the room. Severus backs into me and I quickly pull his wand from him, and before anyone can stop me there is a flash of green light and Victor falls to the ground dead. Severus turns to me but before he can speak, I collapse and black out.

When I wake I am in a hospital room and Severus is at my bedside.

"Do you remember what happened Celestia?"

"Yes"

"I understand your need to have done that, but in front of the bloody Minister for Magic? What were you thinking?"

"I wasn't, my body took over and I let it Severus. I'm sorry, I know how much time it has taken for you to earn trust, and I'm sure having a murderer for a wife is just going to make it worse for you"

"No one knows" comes Kingsley's voice as he closes the door behind him. "What she did was self Defense, we know he intended to kill her, Narcissa Malfoy came forward with her memories of the attack. Once she is well she can leave." He pauses for a minute, rubbing his forehead "I'm sorry for your loss as well, the nurse told me that you were suffering a miscarriage. They finished the process for you and completely healed your body, you were bleeding out horribly so it was in your best interest"

"Thank you" I whisper quietly and he nods and opens the door disappearing out of the room. I feel tears welling up and Severus stands leaning forward and kissing my head.

"Lay with me love, please?" I whisper and he lifts me moving me over and climbing into the bed beside me and pulling me into his arms. I sigh closing my eyes as he strokes my hair gently and we both drift off to sleep, exhausted from the days events.

I wake in the morning to Severus nudging me gently. I open my eyes to see that he is dressed and ready to leave.

"Let's go Celestia, it's time to go home"

Severus stands over me impatiently. He waves his wand and I am dressed and he pulls me up from the bed.

"Your house or mine Severus?"

"I don't care, I just want to leave" he grumbles.

"Yours, please, I want it to just be us for awhile"

He nods and wraps his arms around me and we disapparate from the hospital and reappear in a dirty dusty alleyway. There are kids riding their rusty bicycles down the old roadway screaming playfully. He takes my hand and leads me carefully across the street to a small house and unlocks the door pushing it open and letting us in. We step inside and he closes and wards the door behind him, and heads directly into his kitchen to boil some water.

"Tea?"

"Mhmm" I respond distractedly, realizing I am standing in the exact place that his mother had died and it sends a shiver down my spine.

He sees me staring at that spot on the floor and guides me gently away and into the sitting room trying to get me to sit but instead I move into his kitchen dropping into one of his kitchen chairs, needing to be close to him right now. He pours me a cup of tea and sits quietly across from me, sipping his own cuppa.

"You're mad at me" I whisper looking down into my mug.

"No I'm not, in all honesty I'm proud of you"

"Oh" I respond slightly shocked and confused "then what's wrong?"

He shakes his head clearly not wanting to touch on this subject, but I push on.

"Severus... I am your wife now, please talk to me"

"This is affecting me" he says, quietly staring down into his mug

"What is affecting you Severus? I don't understand"

"You losing another child"

I look at him confused and watch him urging him to continue.

"The first time I had thought it affected me only because you were hurting. This time it's affecting me more because...I think I may actually I want this"

"You do?" I respond shocked

"I believe I have since we lost our first child"

"Why did you lie?"

"I never lied, I didn't understand my feelings on the matter myself, and when I finally did, I kept it to myself because I felt it would put more stress on you"

"It means a lot for you to open up a bit and tell me this you know? I suppose I understand your reasoning Severus, but do you understand how happy this makes me?" I pause reaching across the table and laying my hand on his. "I know this has been rough, but I have faith in you and your potions, and just know that one day your child will grow inside me, and will make it to our arms Severus" I whisper, standing and moving to him and wrapping my arms around him from behind and pulling him to lean his head back against my chest. He turns and pulls me into his lap kissing me gently, wrapping his arms around me.

"I'm doing my best Celestia, And I will be here no matter what happens" he stands lifting me with him and moving carefully into the sitting room and settles down into his comfy chair, our teas following us out, gliding smoothly through the air and landing gracefully on the fireside table, the fire roaring to life. The lights in the house go out leaving us bathed in the warm firelight, and I snuggle into his chest drinking my tea in silence. He takes my mug putting it on the table beside his and pulls my legs over the arm of the chair letting me stretch out across his lap. He runs his hand up my body from my thigh to my breast and pulls down the front of my dress and banishes my bra.

"Close your eyes and relax, my wife" he whispers as he begins rolling and thumbing my nipples between his fingers. I feel his hot breath seconds before he closes his mouth on my breast, sucking and pulling it sensually. He runs his hand down my body and slips it up my skirt and past my panties rubbing me gently at first but beginning to work me hard and fast until I come, trembling on his lap. He takes my hand and slides me down a bit, bringing my hand onto the giant bulge in his pants.

"Stroke me" he breathes "please... woman"

I pull open his pants and free him from his confines stroking him gently. He groans, his hands roaming my body as I continue to stroke him, brushing my hand over his head each time I reach the top, my palm collecting the sweet drop of dew each time. I pump it faster and squeeze it tighter listening to his gasps and grunts.

"Stop, stop, I don't want to come yet"

"But I want to watch you come Severus" I whisper " right here I breathe, tracing a trail over his pale stomach earning another groan and bringing my hand back to his cock and milking it hard, until his groans and panting is all I can hear. With one last stroke he digs his fingers into my flesh and his seed splats up across his stomach.

"I love it when you come for me Severus" I groan thoroughly turned on.

He sits, eyes closed for several minutes until his breathing slows. He stands lifting me again! Carefully moving me up the creaky stairs and kicking open the door at the end of the hall after clearing the small landing. He moves me to the bed, flicking his wand to turn down the covers, laying me gently down on the plush bed and stripping down to his black silk boxers and climbing into the bed beside me. I curl into him charming the blankets over us and doze off against his chest.

I wake in the morning and slide gently from the bed realizing that at some point in the night Severus must have undressed me, a sentiment not lost on me. I quickly find the bathroom and bend over the tub to put in the plug turning on the water. I feel his hands on my thighs as he leans forward trailing kisses down my back.

"Are you ok to?" He whispers.

"I think so" I whisper back, already aroused by his body pressed against mine.

He carefully aligns himself before pushing into me all at once and pounding me hard from behind. The angle of his thrusts hitting all the right spots as I cry out, bracing myself against the wall. His ruthless fucking continues until I shatter around him and he spills deep inside me, digging his fingers painfully into my back.

"Merlin I love being inside you Celestia"

"And I so love when you just randomly show up and take me" I smirk turning off the water.

Severus pulls out of me and I move carefully climbing into the bath, the hot water feeling great against my aching body. I groan feeling my body relax and he raises an eyebrow at me. He kneels down beside the tub leaning forward sucking marks into my neck and chest. When he pulls away I watch as he reaches into his robe pocket pulling out a needle full of orange liquid.

"As I promised, do you want me to do it, or would you prefer to do it yourself?"

"Can you? Please?" I whisper nervously.

He captures my lips, His tongue exploring my mouth and as I groan against his lip I feel the puncture of the needle in my lower abdomen, he injects it quickly and pulls it out kissing me once more, sitting back and banishing the needle before standing and leaving the room. He comes back into the room with an elegantly wrapped box and hands it to me.

"Narcissa got this for you as a wedding gift, she brought them here while you were sleeping last night, she figured you would need some bath stuff."

"Will you come in the bath with me?" I ask hopefully

"No, I'd rather not" he snorts looking at the small tub and the steam rising from it.

"There's that charming personality, I was wondering when that would come back" I smirk, laying my head back against the tub.

"Shut up woman" he grumbles leaving the room.

A year passes and we find ourselves living between his house and mine when we aren't teaching, though mostly his due to his inability to tolerate Astra for more than a few days at a time.

In the year I have suffered two more miscarriages and for the last six months there has been nothing. I no longer bleed or spot or and haven't even managed to get pregnant again. Severus' potions are done and I have come to the conclusion that our life will be without children and I have focused my energy elsewhere.

Astra had laughed at me when we had been married saying our sex addiction would die out quickly, it hasn't. I'm sure by this point we have had sex on every surface in Severus house at least twice.

We have returned to school after spending our second summer together and everything has been going smoothly. We sit in the teachers lounge on Christmas Eve listening to the teachers sharing stories and laughing about occur acne this far in the school year.

Severus sits on the couch reading a book he has balanced on the arm of the chair. I sit between his legs, my head resting back on his shoulder and his arms wrapped possessively around my waist. I feel a slight jolt from my belly and for a moment I think that I imagined it, but it happens again.

"What was that Celestia?" He whispers in my ear.

"You felt that too?" I ask realizing it did happen.

"Three times now" he responds as it happens again.

"I don't know, Must be a muscle spasm" I respond turning my attention back to the conversation.

The spasms continue off and on for the next few days and Severus forces me to go and see Poppy. She does a series of tests but tells me that she also believes it to be muscle spasms.

I climb into bed with Severus that evening, my back pressed tightly against his bare chest and his arms wrapped around my waist when there is a soft knocking at the door. Severus waves his wand lazily and the door pops open letting Poppy in.

"Did you ever end up making Celestia potions to try to avoid more miscarriages Severus?"

she asks him curiously

"Yes, but three more miscarriages later I don't believe they have helped any, and now she doesn't so much as bleed anymore" he responds with a tone of sadness in his voice that I'm sure only I notice.

"I believe I have an explanation for that. Your potion that was meant to heal her internally did it's job so well that it stopped her body from its natural process, the lack of bleeding being due to the fact her body was in a continuous state of healing and not allowing itself to shed"

I hear Severus sigh and he kisses me gently on the shoulder.

"Has it also caused these spasms as well?" He asks calmly.

"In a way, yes"

"In a way?" He repeats questioningly.

"Yes, her body stopped it's natural process for awhile, and before she had a chance to bleed again she got pregnant. Her pregnancy has gone unnoticed for some time now because there were no signs until now. That's not a muscle spasm she is experiencing Severus, that's your baby moving around, well babies to be exact. Celestia is 14 weeks pregnant with twins, and though they are on the smaller side, they are healthy and This is finally a viable pregnancy" She finishes with a smile and almost as if on cue, comes the tiny thump from my belly and I feel the tears well up in my eyes.

"I'll leave you two alone now" she smiles "congratulations" and with that she turns to leave.

"Is it too early to ask their genders?" I ask hopefully.

"Do you want to know Severus?" She asks watching him.

I assume he nods because she smiles.

"Identical twin girls, congrats you two" and she is gone. I turn to face him and he beams at me.

"One day you will turn over and smile at me, just because you can, and because you finally know what it means to be content" he whispers quoting my words and pulling me into his arms and resting a hand on my belly protectively.


	8. Chapter 8

Severus moves his arm from my belly and climbs on top of me carefully. He begins slowly undressing me, his hands taking the chance to brush against every piece of bared flesh. He pulls of my nightie and slides off my panties. Severus leans down trailing kisses across my belly, sliding his hands up and caressing my breasts. He slides into position, pressing firmly into me with a deep groan. He starts a gentle rocking motion, pushing in and out slowly. I bring my arms up around his neck, looking deep into his eyes as he strains to keep the gentle pace. I know what he wants, what he needs.

"Harder"

"No, almost two years to get you here, I'm not doing anything that could hurt them"

For the next two weeks he forces himself to be gentle, he restrains himself to the point of frustration. Tonight he crawls into bed and I move to him but he pushes me back.

"I can't, not tonight Celestia"

"What about Astra Severus? Have her and calm yourself, I have twenty-six weeks left. You aren't going to be able to keep this up that long Severus, I know what you need"

"Get her then" he whispers, frustration and defeat clear in his voice.

I summon an elf and send it to get Astra. She appears in the doorway a few moments later looking confused and sleepy.

"What do you need Tia?"

"Remember when you said you would make it up to Severus?"

"Mhmm" she yawns

"He needs that now. You've seen how Severus takes me"

"Mhmm"

"I'm fourteen weeks pregnant with twins, and he needs release"

"pregnant for certain?"

"Yes, these little ones are staying thanks to Severus"

Astra nods and climbs up onto the bed and moves onto him straddling his lap, she tips her head to kiss him and he pulls his head back.

"If you want release you do it my way Severus, you will satisfy me" she growls in his ear

Severus looks up at her raising an eyebrow.

"I don't play bottom Astra" he growls grabbing her roughly and crushing her lips with his. She drags her nails over his pale chest and he hisses, grabbing a handful of her hair and jerking her head away and tossing her back onto the bed and climbs on top of her, pinning her roughly to the bed. Her clothes disappear and his hands grab her breasts, squeezing them roughly until she whimpers, he pulls back and slaps her breasts hard earning a gasp and a groan from her. He flips her over and enters her hard from behind. He mutters a contraceptive spell and starts brutally pounding her. Within moments she is screaming his name and clawing at the blankets on the bed as she crashes into her first orgasm.

"She's a whore too Severus" I whisper

"I can see that" he groans pulling out of her and dragging her off the bed and forcing her to her knees. She reaches up clawing at his thighs with a smirk. She opens her mouth to speak and he thrusts his cock down her throat, holding it there until tears start down her cheeks. The moment he pulls back she is on her feet. Astra shoves him back hard and he crashes into a bookshelf knocking most of the contents onto the floor. She descends on him shoving him again. He trips landing backwards on the floor and she is on him, she quickly straddles him sinking quickly down onto his throbbing cock and riding him hard.

"You're going to come for me tonight Severus" she hisses, sinking down on him again.

"I assure you whore, I will get my fill of you and have you begging for me first" he growls flipping them so she is underneath him and he begins pounding her again. His ruthless thrusts making her scream in pleasure. The sound of skin slapping on skin and screams fills the air. He pulls off her again after she shatters and he climbs onto the bed beside me, leaning over and kissing my lips. He presses up my skirt and pushes two fingers into me, working me skillfully to an intense orgasm. Astra climbs onto the bed pushing Severus back against the headboard and sinking herself onto him again. He smirks and grunts as he thrusts up to meet her. He pounds her hard again, thrusting up into her over and over. She melts into his shoulder wrapping her arms around him. I watch as he slows his thrusts into a painfully slow movement. She groans and tries to ride him but he holds her still, moving even softer and slower, watching her carefully. She tries desperately to gain control and he thwarts her every attempt until all that she can do is beg, and he wins this game.

"Severus!" She whimpers

"Yes"

"Don't"

He stops moving and stares at her seriously.

"Nooo, that's not what I meant. Don't tease"

He continues staring at her, when she meets his eyes she groans, dropping her head to his shoulder

"Please Severus, make me come again, please fuck me, fill me" she whimpers, desperate for him.

"Mmm, the pureblood whore begging for the filthy half-bloods cock, what would people think of you?"

"I don't care, please Severus, please, I'm begging you, take me!"

he starts going a little harder and she groans again.

"Harder Severus,Please!"

He smirks and tosses her back against the headboard and comes up behind her, pounding her as hard as he possibly can. She breaks twice and is slumped over the headboard, body trembling when he forces her to her third orgasm, erupting into loud screams with the overwhelming intensity as it hits her and pulls him over too with a grunt. He pulls out of her muttering a cleansing spell on himself and drops down beside me on the bed and presses his fingers into me again feeling how wet I am.

"Turned on Celestia?"

"Merlin yes, did you save some for me?" I whisper

"Always" he smirks climbing onto me and pressing in while capturing my lips. He takes me gently, pulling me through two orgasms before he spills and drops exhausted onto the bed pulling me into his arms. I look to my sister who is watching us, still leaning on the headboard for support. I nudge Severus who follows my gaze and looks back at me in resignation. He reaches up grabbing her around the waist and pulling her down against his chest and charms the covers up over us. Severus drops off to sleep and I reach over brushing the hair off Astra's face.

"You ok Astra?"

"Fantastic" she responds snuggling into his chest and kissing me gently on the head before closing her eyes.

"Dear Merlin, you have got to be fucking kidding me"

I open my eyes to see Lucius and Narcissa standing at the foot of the bed staring at the three of us in horror. I can't help but snort at the disgusted look on Lucius face. I nudge Astra stirring her awake.

"You need to get up love" I whisper

She starts to move but hisses and curls back into Severus' chest not once opening her eyes.

"too sore, not moving" she grumbles

"Lucius and Narcissa are at the foot of the bed" I whisper. Her eyes fly open and her face goes bright red. She realizes she doesn't have her wand and looks to me for help.

The moment she makes eye contact with me I burst out laughing and she hits me hard with a pillow, in turn stirring Severus who grunts and turns onto his stomach, burying his face in his pillow. I grab my pillow and smack her back still laughing hysterically.

"Can you spot me some clothes here Celestia? This is mortifying"

"Mortifying? That's not what you were saying last night? I think it went something more along the lines of 'harder Severus Please" I smirk.

The colour drains from her face and she looks like she could melt into a puddle at any second.

"you are a horrible person Celestia" she whines trying to keep covered as she reaches for Severus wand on the headboard. She waves it quickly covering her body in clothes, returning the wand to its place and climbing out of bed.

"So clearly you're both sleeping with him now?"

"Not exactly" she whispers

"Are you that desperate?" Lucius asks unable to wipe the disgust off his face.

"I'm not desperate—"

"Yes you are" I respond with a smirk

"Celestia!" She shouts exasperated "he's our father, can you spare me a little here?"

Severus turns his head to me and looks at me questioningly.

"Lucius and Narcissa are here Severus."

He scans me over and grabs his wand clothing myself and him before turning over and sitting up, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

He looks at Lucius and Lucius looks back at him furiously.

"I was decent when it came to Celestia, but this is too much Severus"

"Don't pat yourself on the back Lucius, you knew I was damaged good and let him have me"

"that is not the case, I owe much to Severus and the two of you were already together. There's nothing that can come between Severus and something he wants"

"mhmm"

"My dear I am speaking to you am I not? I don't have to sleep with him, you do. I do however have trouble with the fact you are both sleeping with him"

"don't sell him short, he's fantastic in bed. Fantastically built as well" Astra smirks at Severus who smirks back before wrapping his arm around me and kissing my head.

"Celestia is pregnant, viably pregnant. I was concerned about hurting her being to rough." Severus explains calmly.

"You can't hurt the baby by having sex with her unless your version of sex includes punching her in the stomach or bearing her up, which I highly doubt is the case"

"I'm rough, not psychotic Lucius"

"I want you to stay away from Astra" Lucius warns him

"Lucius!" Astra complains and Lucius raises his eyebrow.

"Father I mean, why can't I have my fun"

"Because you are young and fertile and he is old and potent, and if you get pregnant you won't marry, or you will but you'll get something you don't want"

"I'll never marry anyways, not ladylike enough to play with the purebloods and the rest are either intimidated or just want to get laid"

"Time to close it up for a bit and wait is my advice, you're easy is the problem. I heard about you before I met you, and I'm sure your list has grown, makes it hard to sell you to someone decent"

"wow"

Narcissa moves over to me and places her hand gently on my belly with a smile.

"How far are you, you already have a little bump"

"she said 14 weeks, with twin girls"

"looks like you'll have to get pregnant again then" Lucius speaks dryly running his fingers over the black bound leather of the chair before he drops into it.

"Why is that Lucius?" I ask annoyed

"You need to give him an heir"

"Why, that's pureblood superstition"

"His name is famous since the war, gone down in history now. You need to give him a boy to carry it on Celestia"

"If Severus wishes me to and I am able at that point then I will, I'm not going to do it because you said so"

"Why do you hate me so much? I didn't know you even existed Celestia, and I'm trying now. What do you need from me to make you understand I'm not your enemy Celestia?"

"I didn't ask for you to be part of my life, I didn't ask for you to do things for me, why can't you just let me be"

"because knowing what you have been through, knowing I wasn't there to stop it, is my burden to bear. But I will do everything in my power to make sure that the rest of your life is peaceful and comfortable if it is the last thing I ever do, you and Astra. I will find Astra a good husband, one that will treat her well, buy her a house and leave her set for life. As for you and Severus, I'd like to do the same, a house and enough to get you and your children through a lifetime. I won't accept no for an answer"

"I have a house, I worked hard for my house and everything in it"

"doing what?"

"And here it comes Celestia, I told you eventually someone would ask" Astra interrupts

"I wrote music and sang in bars, got offered a contract in the muggle world for six million American for my first album. I was 18, released another at 19 and another at 22 before I started teaching here. Second two got signed for 10 million each. I have more written, but between teaching and married life and health issues I haven't put it out there yet."

"Music, really?" Severus drawls "I would not have pegged you for the type"

"She's really talented"

"Why not break into the magic world with it?"

"I would have no privacy, when I go into muggle North America I can't go anywhere without being followed, it's insane. I never thought it would be that way."

"How do you handle interviews and signings or do you not do them?"

"I do them for her, we have it all worked out, I can sing. But not like her or I would have helped with tours. I earn my keep doing interviews and signings."

"I'm impressed with how well you two compliment each other"

"We did, things have changed since Severus. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy for her, for them. But we aren't as close as we used to be"

"So you are set then Celestia?"

"I'm ok for now, I figured I might release another album at some point, if I take the mat leave I might do it then"

"Let me give you money Celestia"

"I prefer to take care of myself"

"You are going to have two little girls that are going to need you round the clock Celestia, let your father take care of you for awhile, please" Narcissa pleads with me

"fine"

"And I'd like to hear you sing sometime" Lucius finishes

"I'll give you some CDs" I respond

"Some what?" He looks at me confused

"They're like small records the they put music onto, I'll assume you'll need an enchanted player too then"

Lucius nods trying to process it all before standing and gesturing Narcissa towards the floo.

"Astra, go sleep in your own bed. Severus fuck her before you drive yourself mad, she and your girls will be fine" and with that everyone leaves Severus and I alone. Before I can turn my head, I'm naked and bent over the headboard with him thrusting into me wildly, his one arm supporting himself on the headboard and the other wrapped around me under my breasts. He forces me through 3 earth-shattering orgasms before he spills into me, biting my shoulder hard. He leans forward more, wrapping his arms around me and grazing his lips along the curve of my neck.

"I love you My beautiful pregnant wife" he whispers in my ear

"And I love you, my handsome and sexy husband"

He pulls off of me slipping his pants back up and climbing from the bed.

I snuggle down into the bed pulling the covers up and patting the bed beside me"

"I'm hungry Celestia, I need to eat"

"So go down for lunch, please my love just lay with me for awhile, the babies are moving again"

Severus nods and climbs into bed placing his hand gently on my belly, feeling the flutters of the lives growing inside me. He rests his forehead against my head and sighs.

"You are remarkable Celestia, this is remarkable"


	9. Chapter 9

I lay with Severus as he trails small circles over my belly, and places gentle kisses on my neck. He leans over taking my lips gently and he entwined his fingers with mine pulling my hand onto my belly with his. We lay there for what seems like only minutes before he climbs from the bed and pulls me up behind him.

"New Years eve tonight my love, are we going to attend the staff party?"

"I'm on duty tonight, all of the heads are. Bloody dunderhead students will act like fools tonight which means It will be a long night"

"Come to the party between your rounds love, I want to break the news"

"I won't have time tonight, let's go eat, you can break the news over lunch"

He waves his wand dressing me in tight fitting clothes and surveys me with a nod.

"You do have a bump"

"So it would seem my love" I whisper running my hand over the gentle swell.

He pulls his cloak on, wrapping his arm around my waist and leading me to the great hall. As we reach the great hall he lets go of my waist and pushes open the door, holding it for me to walk through and following me in, taking his seat on the opposite side of Minerva as me and pours himself a glass of water and dishing himself out some food.

"Celestia, are you willing to take over my rounds tonight?" Astra asks me hopefully.

"Why would I do that?"

"Father set me up a dinner date for tonight"

"Dear Merlin, you're going to let him meddle in your life?"

"He's trying to help me"

"By making sure you date along his values" I respond shaking my head.

"Why is that such a bad thing? I'm a pureblood and I deserve the best"

"I prefer to know that I've earned what I have, my house, my husband, my girls, my life"

"Sorry for being nosy, but your girls?"

"Yes Minerva, found out last night that Severus and I are expecting twin girls sometime in July"

"Really? Congratulations. Though I have to admit I didn't see Severus as being the family kid of man" she smiles looking over at Severus who is staring back.

"I'm not, Celestia doesn't take no for an answer when she wants something"

"That's not what you were saying this morning"

"I admit it's growing on me, I'm not a family man, but I will give it my best to make you happy. I do want this, but am still unconvinced this will go well"

"Your charming husband has such a sweetness about him" Astra remarks sarcastically "really, I can totally understand why he is so irresistible" she finishes rolling her eyes.

"He's a good man Astra"

"Yea, the dark mark on his arm definitely screams that out for him"

"Everyone has moments in their lives that they regret, he has moved forward and proven himself to be trustworthy"

"Trustworthy yes, but don't trinket yourself into believing he didn't enjoy everything he did under the power of that mark. He joined them for a reason Celestia. He's not the saint like you believe"

"I know he isn't, I prefer to focus on his good points"

"All I'm saying is we could have everything, I'm not going to settle for less than that"

"I didn't settle, I married for love"

"I still don't believe that, I'm sorry."

"I really wish you would give up harping on him. Lucius is scum Astra, as low as they come and you're letting him meddle"

"You saw him during the war too Celestia, he wasn't fighting, he was looking for his son."

"That doesn't make him good, or changed Astra"

"Then either does anything Severus has does. Loving a woman, dead or alive doesn't make you a good person, he still just as dark as Lucius, why else would they still be friends? The very reasons you hate father are the things you are choosing to ignore in Severus. You don't think they stood side by side, torturing, killing and raping? You think your husband hasn't participated in bringing the same pain you endured into someone else's life?"

I turn my gaze to Severus who seems to have gone a few shades paler, looking like he may be sick. I feel my stomach lurch and my heart sink, I had always assumed he had been in the background and never taken part in the bloodshed. But the look on his face says it all. I quickly excuse myself from the table and flee the room, instead of going to Severus room I go to my own and climb into my bed pulling the blankets up to my chest hugging them tightly. Severus comes in the room about twenty minutes later.

"Why are you in here Celestia?"

"I just need to clear my head" I start, and against my better judgement I ask "did you Severus?"

"Did I what Celestia, what are you specifically asking me"

"Have you taken part In rape and torture of innocent people Severus?"

"Yes Celestia I have" he responds icily

"Did you enjoy it Severus" I whisper, fearing his response. He is quiet for a long period of time before he speaks.

"I need you to understand I was a different person back then Celestia"

"So you enjoyed it"

"At that point yes Celestia I did"

I close my eyes and all I can see is Severus holding some poor woman down while she screams and tries to get away. My body begins to tremble and tears run down my face. I feel Severus' hand on my shoulder and I pull away.

"How many women Severus, how many innocent women did you rape Severus?"

"Five Celestia, under direct orders to do so"

"Where are they now?"

"Three died under the dark lord—"

"Did you kill them?"

"No Celestia"

"You should have, do you know what it's like to feel a mam force himself into you? To feel your body give into it's nature and betray your mind that's screaming for it all to stop"

"No, but I understand now. After seeing what you went through I faced my own demons Celestia, I live with what happened those years ago and I do regret what happened"

"Who are they, the two that are still alive?"

"Celestia"

"Tell me Severus"

"A muggle girl named Serenity Vargal, she was in the wrong place at the wrong time and the dark lord brought her back with a group of her friends as entertainment and a muggle born witch Marsela Osgot who had married a pureblood after convincing him that she was one as well."

"Give me some space Severus, I need to think on this"

He nods in understanding and leaves. I snap my fingers summoning an elf and send it to find the two woman. The elf returns an hour later with their addresses messily scrawled onto a ripped bit of parchment.

"Tell no one of this" I whisper and apparate to a bar I know to be close to the first address, I move down the street and stop to knock on the door. After a few minutes the door opens and a tall thin woman looks out at me, her brown hair tied back in a messy bun and her green eyes fixed on me.

"Are you Marsela Osgot?" She nods slowly "I'm—"

"I know who you are. You're Celestia Snape. Why are you here?"

"Can I come in? I just want to talk to you"

"If you give me your wand" she whispers. I hand her my wand and she pulls the door open allowing me in and leading me into her shabby run down home and sitting me down in her threadbare sitting room.

"What can I do for you Mrs. Snape?" Marsela asks me quietly.

"I want you to tell me what my husband can do to make amends to you?"

"Why?"

"Because I have been through what you have been through and I know how hard it makes life after, please, anything to make your life easier"

"I'm between jobs and about to be evicted from my house, I doubt your husband could help me"

"No, but I could"

"I doubt your father would allow you to help me"

"You know Lucius"

"In the same way I know your husband, he was there that night twenty years ago, he did more damage to me than your husband ever did"

"Will you accept money from me?"

"Under normal circumstances never, but at this point I am desperate"

"Write down your gringnotts information and I will figure this out for you, please, take my apologies on their behalf"

The woman nods, tears in her eyes.

"You are truly something else, thank you"

I shake her hand and stand to leave. She folds a piece of parchment and hands it to me. I shove it in my pocket and pull out the second address. I step outside closing the door behind me and apparate to an overgrown field, walking through the streets and stopping outside a little house on the corner of the street. I bang on the door and moments later a young man opens the door and stares at me.

"Can I help you miss?" he asks politely

"Is Serenity Vargal here?"

"Vargal, no. She hasn't been a Vargal in ten years since I married her" he smiles, " but yes she's here, come in"

He brings me into the house closing the door and we step over toys to get to he sitting room where a woman about 35 sits on the couch, her feet up and her hands resting on her swollen belly. Her attention moves from the television and over to me.

"Hello Serenity"

"Do I know you?"

"No, but I'm here to make a peace offering that will hopefully help heal the damage my husband has done to you"

"Your husband?"

"He hurt you, I don't know how long ago it was, you would have been unable to press charges against him because he had immunity most likely"

"Your talking about the man who—"

"Yes I am, I have been through what you went through growing up, I want to see if there is anything I can do to help you and maybe make amends, I can't live with him knowing what he has done unless I do"

"Will you answer my questions? Because no one will answer my questions"

"I can try" I nod as she points me to the other end of the couch.

"What was he? He wasn't normal, could make things happen"

"I really can't"

"I figured as much, just go" she grumbles frustrated "he left me pregnant, your husband did. The child is weird like him, she's four and can make things happen that aren't normal. I need answers"

"A child? Does he know?"

"Ive never told anyone before, but my other children are afraid of her. We've taken her to doctors and they think were crazy. I'm not crazy am I?"

"No you aren't" I whisper shocked "I need to go talk to him"

"Please don't leave, talk to me, please?"

"Can I meet her?" I whisper and she nods.

"Marietta, come here" she barks at the girl.

A few moments later a little girl with black curly hair that falls in tangles to her shoulders appears in the doorway, she looks sad and dirty. She looks at me confused.

"This is miss—"

"Celestia" I whisper extending my hand to the little girl who seems afraid to touch me.

"I don't want to hurt you" she whispers.

"You won't, I'm like you dear"

Her eyes widen and she looks at me expectantly. I look at the drawing in her hand which folds itself into a paper crane and flies around her head before landing back in her hand. She looks at me with a large smile on her face. The other children in the house start appearing, then are all clean and taken care of except little Marietta who appears to be entirely uncared for.

"Why does she look neglected?" I ask as it dawns on me.

"I never wanted her, tried to be rid of her but nothing worked, she hung on" the woman tells me coldly. "You want to make amends with me? Take her, she's your problem now"

"I—I—"

"Please let me go with you miss" comes the little girls voice from beside me, her eyes hopeful as she moves closer not taking her eyes off me. Severus is going to be…I don't know how he's going to take this.

"Yes, I'll need her identification and a written piece from you so I don't get accused of kidnapping her from you"

"She's got no ID, born here, no one is going to report her missing, only we know about her"

I feel my heart drop and my anger welling up.

"Get your things Marietta, we are leaving"

The girl stands looking at me blankly.

"You don't have anything do you?" I ask and she shakes her head. I pick her up and wrap her in my cloak exiting the house quickly.

"An we don't want her back, you don't want her leave her somewhere"

I apparate to Hogsmeade where the little girl scrambles off me heaving violently.

"I'm sorry dear, I forgot how bad that was the first time. The good news is you didn't vomit" then I stop. "Have you eaten today?" She shakes her head and I feel my heart drop again. I pick her back up, the December snow and frosty breeze affecting the poor shoeless coat less girl. I move to Madam Malkins and move into the store closing the door behind me and putting Marietta down on the floor. Madam Malkins looks at her in alarm.

"Why is she dressed like that? It's December!"

"She came under my care less than 20 minutes ago, she owns nothing but this, that's why I'm here, she needs clothes, boots, shoes and a coat please, the best you have in shop"

Madam Malkins goes to works grabbing items from the shelves and from the back and shrinking them down to her tiny size after measuring the girl out.

"Theres a bathroom with a tub in it upstairs, clean the poor girl up, here's some clean clothes for her, and a brush" she smiles gently.

I lead the girl upstairs and close the bathroom door. She undresses and I take note of the bruises on her far too thin frame. She climbs into the tub and I quickly wash her up and wash and brush out her hair, drying her off and handing her the new clothes, a pair of black dress pants and a deep purple sweater, she pulls the socks over her feet and smiles up at me. We head back downstairs after I pull her hair back into a pretty French braid. There are three bags on the counter ready to go, Madam Malkin helps her into the pretty fleece lined leather boots and the thick wool pea coat before returning to the counter.

"Can you just ship the rest up to my room at Hogwarts?" And she nods gesturing for an elf who levitates the bags and. Disappears with them much to Marietta's delight as she looks at me completely entranced by everything she is seeing. We leave the shop, the girl clinging off my coat desperately. I take her for a quick bite to eat at the café and then take her to honeydukes. She can't contain her joy as the candies jump and moves around the crowded store, I grab her a bag of candy and we pay.

"Can I use your floo please? I don't think she can handle apparating again" I ask the shopkeeper who nods and points to it. I pick her up and floo directly into my room, looking around and finding it empty. I put Marietta down and she looks around the room, her eyes stopping on the bed with a yawn.

"Go ahead dear, you can lay down if you're tired" and she does just that, she kicks off her boots and drops her coat on the floor and climbs up into the bed. I move to her tucking her gently into the bed when I hear the door open. I look over to see Astra standing in the door staring at me.

"Come in and close the door Astra"

Marietta looks from her to me and smiles before snuggling into the bed and quickly dozing off.

"Who is she Celestia?"

"She's Severus' daughter, he doesn't even know she exists" I whisper

"What is she doing here?"

"I made him tell me names earlier, there were two women, I went to make amendsb, the first woman was the victim of both Severus and Lucius, but Lucius did more harm to her. I'm going to help her financially to makes amends for Severus. The second was I woman who appeared ok until I saw her" I turn my gaze to the bed, drawing the curtains around it and dropping into the chair by the fire "they had around a dozen kids in the house, all well fed and taken care of except her. They were muggles, she's a witch like us Astra, they were starving and neglecting her. They told me I could make amends by taking her with me. So I did"

"Dear Merlin Celestia, What is –"

"Where have you been Celestia" comes Severus annoyed voice "you've been gone for hours, no one knew where you were"

"We need to talk Severus, I went to see the women"

"Are you insane Celestia!"

"No, I went to make peace, and I am going to do that with Marsela, she is in financial turmoil right now, I'm going to help her out, I apologized on your behalf. She is more scarred by what Lucius did to her"

"Merlin Celestia"

"I have no sympathy for Serenity however, what a horrid woman, I did however make amends with her as well, but I think you may be angry with me Severus"

"Why?" He whispers looking at me unsurely until his gaze falls on the bed, I turn and see Marietta peeking fearfully out of the curtains at us"

"She's your daughter Severus"

"What have you done Celestia, did you steal her?" He whispers staring at the girl.

"No, they wanted me to take her away Severus, she's a witch and they're muggles."

"Are you insane!"

"They were taking good care of all their children except her Severus, she is neglected and starved, the poor child was in a large tshirt when I arrived there, caked in dirt with tangled hair, would you have left her there? She's your flesh and blood"

He sits quietly for Several moments before snapping his fingers and sending the elf to get poppy.

"What are we supposed to do with her Celestia?"

"We can raise her as ours Severus, she deserves a good life, this isn't her fault, you owe her this"

Severus leans his head back and let's out a sigh.

"Severus, this is what I am asking you to do to right your wrongs"

Poppy knocks gently and wanders in stopping in front of me.

"I need to to run another blood panel Poppy"

"Who now?"

Severus points to the little girl who is now climbing slowly off the bed.

"I want you to check her blood against mine Poppy"

Poppy nods sending an elf to get her stuff and immediately getting to work when the elf returns, the girl watches in fear.

"Are you gonna stick me?"

"No dear, I'm going to use magic to do it, it won't hurt a bit"

"Magic? Am I magic?"

Poppy looks at me and I nod "I haven't seen her do anything, but I can feel it when I'm near her"

"I can make things float" she whispers

Poppy runs the spell and both vials spinning the air and in only seconds combine into one.

"She's yours Severus"

"Can you check her health Poppy? Celestia said she was poorly cared for where she was"

An hour later we sit by the fire as Poppy reads over the results of the testing. Marietta sits on the floor in front of the fire flipping through a potions book that was on my table.

"Can you read it?" I ask her quietly and she shakes her head sadly.

"We will work on it dear, ok?"

"I can stay here with you? You aren't going to leave me somewhere?"

"No darling, you are going to stay with me"

"And me" Severus whispers and I look at him.

"She is underweight, short for her age, dehydrated and malnourished. I'm going to give you some potions to make to get her back on track, it'll help with all that"

I nod and watch as Marietta focuses on the book, lifting it back up to the table. She stands moving to me and stops in front of me.

"Are you going to be my mum now?"

I look up at Severus who sighs and nods.

"Yes dear, I will be"

"Good, I like you" she smiles climbing up on my lap and snuggling into my chest.


	10. Chapter 10

We sit by the fire silently for a few hours, no words exchanged just silence. I stroke Marietta's hair gently until she falls asleep.

"I know you must be mad at me Severus, but I couldn't leave her there"

Severus nods but says nothing as Astra appears beside me.

"Let me take her for the night so you two can talk" she whispers "you must love him to put yourself through this. Lucius is going to be furious you know"

"Yea well the feeling is mutual, I have no respect left for him after today" I spit back as Astra picks up the sleeping girl from my arms.

"What have I done to make you angry now?" Comes Lucius voice from the doorway, having come through Astra's floo.

I watch as he stares at the child in Astra's arms and then looks to Severus questioningly.

"Celestia took it upon herself today, to make things right with Marsela Osgot and Serenity Vargal. Miss Osgot requested money, which Celestia has agreed to pay. Miss Vargal however, sent Celestia back with her." He pauses pointing at Marietta. " She's mine and was unwanted and neglected, so Celestia brought her here"

"A muggle child?" Lucius remarks disgusted

"She's a witch Lucius, and what if she had been yours?"

"It would never happen, I'm smart enough to cast contraceptive spells" Lucius sneers

"I'm so glad you keep to your high standards when you rape defenceless woman while your wife lays at home in her warm bed, you must be proud of yourself. You should have a medal for conducting yourself so respectably." I spit.

Lucius stops dead and stares me in the eyes, searching me before he steps forward and reaches out stroking my cheek gently. I cringe as he touches me. He steps forward kissing my forehead and I back away.

"I am sorry this is causing you pain, things have changed since then"

"Yet you still defend your actions, which shows you have no remorse" I respond coldly.

"You don't know the first thing of what I feel Celestia, you have not granted me the respect of getting to know me at all"

"Even if I had, I'm sure I would see the same thing"

"I am not without guilt Celestia"

"Do you feel guilt for the muggles you killed and tortured? The women whose lives you've ruined? Or do you only feel guilt that your wife and son suffered for your ideals?"

Lucius stands quietly staring at me.

"That's exactly what I figured. This pureblood stuff is nothing but bullshit! If the magic dies with un pure families as you chose to believe, then tell me how is it that there are remarkable witches and wizards born to muggles everyday! Magic created from people who had none themselves, new magic! It doesn't die, magic manifests where it does, there have been squibs born to pureblood families, you know what a bloody squib is! It's a muggle born into a wizarding family! Tell me what causes that?"

"I don't—"

"I know you don't, you spit hate out of sheer ignorance! You know nothing about the world outside of your own perfect life, you've never lived outside of your beautiful lie. I refuse to live inside that box, that hatred is horrid and that alone is what makes the wizarding world so merlin damn primeval. I will not condemn anyone but those who deserve to be condemned, like you Lucius."

Narcissa appears in the door with a concerned look on her pale face, she watches as Lucius drops into the last vacant seat and stares at the child in Astra's arms again.

"And you" I start, turning to Narcissa "you are the head of the black family now, the only remaining good standing member of the house of Black. No one to tell you what to do yet you still keep your sister and her family cast out like vermin, you turn on your own blood for running away with a man she loved yet you allow me to do the exact same thing without repercussions, tell me how that makes sense?" I snarl and Narcissa looks taken aback.

Astra leaves the room with Marietta and I feel more bubbling to the surface, it keeps spilling on and on until Severus grabs me by the waist and pulls me into his lap trying to quiet me. But the words won't stop. Before I can register what is happening Severus has wrapped his cloak around me and his lips come down on mine as he gently thumbs my nipple through my blouse. He pulls back watching me, moving his hand to carefully and unbuttoning the top few buttons of my blouse and slipping his hand under the soft fabric and gently kneading my breast. I drop my head into the crook of his neck to keep from moaning out at his skilled movements.

"I love you witch but it is well time for you to shut your mouth for awhile" he comments dryly "I need a moment to speak for myself so please contain yourself" he finishes as he continues to knead my pale breast.

"The child is mine, whether or not I want it to be so. I have spent two years since the war repairing damage I have done and this is no different. The child was neglected or I am sure Celestia would have left her with her family. So now she is my responsibility and I do not take that lightly"

"You think the child isn't going to grow to hate you? One day she will ask, or one day someone will tell her. No one knows yet, but they will. You will have to file paperwork with the ministry to gain legal guardianship of her and they will ask questions. One day she will find out she was not wanted, that she was the product of a brutal rape and neglected for that same reason"

"And she will see that I have done everything in my power to fix my wrongs and to give her the best possible life. You didn't know about Celestia and Astra, but once you did you felt protective over them did you not?"

"I did and still do" Lucius whispers "less so for Celestia since I trust that you are taking good care of her, but Astra needs to slow herself down, she's a mess if you hadn't noticed"

"I have actually, talk to Molly Weasley, she has a bunch of boys, perhaps one of them would be interested in Astra"

"Perhaps, though I'd like to not resort to that family unless I have to"

"Weasley, like Ginny Weasley? The Gryffindor girl I taught, my first year here?"

Severus nods.

"Oh, she doesn't know any of your…friends?"

"I don't know that I consider them my friends"

"Are you not still a member of the order?"

"yes I suppose, though I haven't attended a meeting since the war, but this is not something I wish to discuss with you Lucius. Why are you here?"

"Astra asked me to come and speak to Celestia"

"About?" I ask confused

"I thought maybe instead of you dealing with Marsela, he could?" Astra adds reappearing in the room.

"What is it you need Celestia?" He asks coldly

"She went to see her today and the woman is in financial distress, Celestia has agreed to help her. But it's not her problem to fix father, I was hoping you might step in and take care of it instead of Celestia?"

Lucius sits for a moment before he nods and looks to me. "What does she need Celestia?"

"Money to live, she's about to be evicted. She has no job right now and is struggling"

"give her the flat in Ireland Lucius, it has been empty for twenty years, no one uses it. And enough money to get her through life comfortably" Narcissa Whispers and he nods again.

"what else can I do to show you I'm not the monster you think I am Celestia?"

"You worked at the ministry correct?"

"Yes, I used to"

"I need to get identification for Marietta, she has none"

"Did you leave it with the muggles?"

"No, she literally has none, born at home and never registered as a living being at all, there is no proof of birth, nothing"

"Merlin, that is going to be hell Celestia, The Ministry is not going to let you do anything, Severus will have to file all the paperwork, you have no legal claim to the child. Severus, do you not have ties with Kingsley Shacklebolt?"

"I do"

"My only advice is to see if he can pull strings, the court is not going to rule you fit to care for her when you raped her mother, and as the child is unwanted by the muggle they are more likely to move the child into an institution or as a ministry ward"

"I will request an audience with him and see what I can do"

"When is the next meeting Severus?"

"In a few days, I suppose I can speak to him then"

"Am I able to be in attendance? I'd like to meet the order"

"I will speak to Minerva and see what she thinks Celestia"

suddenly an ear shattering scream comes from down the hall and I launch off Severus lap and race to Marietta who sits in Astra's bed screaming with tears running down her face. Her eyes fall on me and she races to me, wrapping her tiny arms around me and crying. I lean down scooping her up and carrying her back to my room. By the time I get back she has settled a bit and she looks over all the people in the room.

"what happened little one?" Astra asks her gently.

"I had a bad dream, then you were gone" she sobs

"we're right here love, we didn't leave you. Would you like a warm cup of tea?" I whisper resting my forehead on the top of her head.

"Yes please" she whispers between her ragged breaths. I lean down and hand her to Severus but she wails and desperately pulls away from him, moving quickly behind me and hiding there.

I see a pained look come over Severus Face before he stands and moves to the small kitchen to make her a tea.

"Marietta, it's ok dear.. Do you know who he is?"

She steps out from behind me slightly and watches him for a moment before she shakes her head.

"He's your father dear, your real father. He's not going to hurt you, I know he looks scary, but he's not"

"I don't want him to be" she whispers and I see Severus stiffen momentarily before going back to finishing her tea.

"You'll grow to like him dear, I promise you that, he's a good man"

"We should take our leave Lucius, we have somewhere to be tonight"

The Malfoys leave and Marietta settles into the little couch with the tea, not taking her eyes off Severus. Severus stands suddenly after looking at the clock. He leans over kissing me tiredly and exits the room, asking me to stay here with her tonight and not be moving around the castle with her until he has had a chance to talk to Minerva. Marietta falls asleep shortly after he leaves and I cover her with a blanket and climb into my bed and allowing myself to drift off. I wake sometime in the early morning as Severus climbs into bed beside me. The fire is now just smouldering ash and the room has a chill in the air as the December draft floods the castle. I look to Marietta who lays on the couch shivering slightly, her blanket having fallen away while she slept. Severus follows my gaze and climbs back out of bed and picks up the blanket, carefully wrapping it around her and tucking it down around her. Her eyes flutter open and she scrambles to the other end of the couch away from him again.

"Talk to her my love"

"your blanket fell Marietta, I was just putting it back on you. I'm leaving now and going to bed" he speaks firmly as he stands and again climbs into bed with me, wrapping his arms around me gently. I watch as Marietta settles back down into the couch and after tossing and turning for awhile she finally drifts off to sleep again.

"How was your evening Severus?"

"Liveable until I returned back here" he whispers

"she will warm up to you Severus"

"Everytime I look at her it all comes back to me Celestia, that is hard enough to deal with over and over. But she recoils from me, she fears me. It makes being around her almost unbearable"

"I am sorry that this has caused you more suffering Severus, but I couldn't look at you knowing what had happened if amends hadn't been made, I never thought I would return with a child Severus, I almost didn't. I wanted to run, I could have never lived with myself if I had though Severus. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry"

"Shhh, I am not angry. Just confused as to what I am supposed to do now. I spoke to Minerva briefly this evening. She was at a loss for words when I told her the story, but has agreed to let her stay here with us. We need to decide which room we are staying in Celestia, do we can add a room for her. I'm not comfortable with her sleeping in the same room as us, if she does our intimacy will come to an end Celestia"

"I understand your concerns about intimacy around her Severus, but I don't think she will easily sleep alone right now. Can't we just be silent and cautious my love?"

"As a teacher you should understand that anything sexual in the presence of a child is an instant shut off for me"

"I do, but for now that is how it is going to have to be"

"Then I will be content to just lay with you for now"

I turn facing him and snuggle into his chest and drop back off to sleep.

When I wake Severus is nudging me gently.

"Marietta is waiting for you to wake up Celestia"

I turn over to see Marietta standing behind me staring at Severus.

"it's still early Marietta, come lay with us darling" I whisper and I pull her into the bed between us. She clings to me and I pull the covers up over us. Severus moves back away from her and I watch his discomfort grow until he climbs from the bed and makes himself a tea and moves to situate himself in the chair by the fire.

The next three months go on like this, she avoids him completely, not speaking to him or letting him near her. She warms up to everyone except him and Lucius, who in turn still hasn't warmed up to the idea of having her added into the family. This particular morning starts like any other until I slip on a patch on ice that was placed on the ground by a student attempting to prank another student. I go down hard but not before shoving Marietta out of harms way, slamming my head and back painfully off the floor. I lay on the floor in a daze for a few minutes, I can hear Marietta screaming and when I come back to I am surrounded by students. I sit up slowly and feel a rush of fluid and the onset of terrible cramps. I curl into a ball, tears spilling down my face. I'm in too much pain to move and I can hear Marietta crying but can't respond.

I hear the students gasp and Severus voice boom over their noisy chatter.

"Get to class you blasted dunderheads, what on earth is so-" he roars and the students disperse.

"Daddy! She's hurt!" Marietta cries to him, finally breaking as he rushes to my side, dropping to his knees and leaning in.

"Celestia, what happened, what's wrong?"

I gasp for breath between pains and bear down again in agony.

"She fell on ice daddy, hit her head, then all the water showed up"

Severus notices the water and without second thought summons elves to apparate me to the infirmary and he takes off running towards the infirmary, stopping for a second to let Marietta catch up to him and scooping her up in his arms and continuing on.

When I wake Marietta is snuggled to one side of me and Astra on the other. Looking down the first thing I notice is my belly is flat, immediately I burst into sobs, unable to contain them.

"Shhh Celestia, relax. You need to rest, it's ok, they're alive Celestia, breathe Tia"

"they're ok?" I whisper between fearful sobs.

"Yes love, Severus is with them, that's why he's not here, your babies needed him, Marietta and I are looking after you, please calm yourself. Do you remember how worried Sevrus was about being a terrible father?"

"Yes" I whisper, forcing myself to calm down.

"Poppy, can she get up?" Astra asks Poppy as she appears at the foot of the bed. "She needs to see him"

"I agree, she can if she goes slow, she's still going to be weak" she responds quietly, but with a smile.

"How long was I out for?"

"Almost 8 hours, Poppy tried to stop the labour but because your water had broken it made it impossible, there was no option but to let it happen and hope for the best. They were born 6 hours ago. It took Poppy three hours with Severus help to stabilize them. The entire infirmary is shut down right now to give you privacy. It's you, me, Marietta, Severus and Poppy. Though I'm told Lucius and Narcissa are waiting outside the door" she finishes, helping me up carefully to my feet and guiding me into the room at the end of the infirmary hall. When we walk into the room I see Severus fast asleep, arms crossed across his chest, on a bed that has been charmed to sit up.

"where are my girls?" I whisper confused.

Astra takes my hand and guides me right up to the bedside where throughout the two unbuttoned buttons of Severus' shirt I can see the small sleeping forms of our little girls snuggled and sleeping skin to skin with my peaceful looking husband, who does not have his arms crossed, but is instead cradling them to his warm chest. I feel the tears of joy slip from my eyes as I carefully climb into the bed beside him and kiss him gently on the forehead. His eyes flutter open exhaustedly and he smiles at me, carefully wrapping his arm around me.

"I didn't think I could fall anymore in love with you than I already was, I was wrong" I whisper kissing him sweetly on the lips. He brings his hand up behind my head and deepens the kiss hungrily.

When I pull away for breath he stares off silently.

"Why are you so quiet?" I ask worried

"Trying to find words to describe how I'm feeling right now, and there isn't a word good enough to describe it. We aren't even close to done with this struggle yet, but I wouldn't change anything that has happened. I love you Celestia, and I couldn't imagine my life without you."

I smile snuggling down with him, slipping my hand into his shirt so I am touching both of the girls and I close my eyes peacefully.


	11. Chapter 11

Poppy comes in an hour later and stirs Severus awake.

"I need to run another set of scans on them Severus, and then they need to eat"

Severus sits up carefully and unbuttons another button of his shirt, pulling out the first little one and handing her to poppy who wraps the now screaming child in a small pink blanket and moving from the room. Returning shortly after with a small purple blanket and taking out second daughter from Severus and disappearing again.

"How are you feeling Celestia?" Severus asks me, slithering out of the bed and standing, carefully buttoning up his shirt.

"Less pregnant, more concerned. Astra told me it took three hours to stabilize them?"

"They're premature, they couldn't breathe on their own and are unable to feed without assistance. It took awhile to get the spell rhythm right so they are getting enough oxygen, but not too much. She's been giving them supplemental milk while you were resting, but their immune systems are weak and they would benefit more from food from their mother."

"Of course Severus, I planned on it actually. Do I remember correctly? Did Marietta finally speak to you?"

"Yes, she did, though I haven't seen her since they were born, I've been here"

"She's was out there with Astra, you should go see her. If she's finally opening up it's a good thing, you should encourage it"

"I won't be long, but if anything changes send an elf" and he is gone.

I move to Poppys office where she stands over my screaming girls, trying desperately to calm them. I move forward and unwrap the smaller girl from her pink blanket and wrap her against her sister in the purple blanket. Instantly the two girls snuggle into each other and begin to settle.

"How on earth?"

"When I'm in need of comfort I always go to my sister, it's a twin thing, it's calming"

"I took a picture of Severus sleeping with the girls in his shirt" she whispers. "I would have never expected him to behave like that, it was instinctive for him to protect them. I've never seen that side of Severus"

"He is a good man, he's with me for that reason. He helped me, protected me from myself, from falling apart"

"I'm moving the girls to St. Mungos Hospital today. They need round the clock medical watch, probably for a few weeks at least. They will keep you all in a closed ward to keep them from becoming ill. You, Severus and the girls. They won't allow Marietta to stay there. You will need to make arrangements for her"

Astra appears beside me wrapping her arm around my waist.

"Narcissa and father want to talk to you Celestia, they're with Severus and Marietta, there's also a thicker ginger woman here" she whispers "I'll stay with the girls Celestia, go figure everything out with them"

Severus looks up when I appear in the main body of the infirmary.

"Poppy is moving us to St. Mungos, but Marietta can't come Severus"

"I can take care of her while you are there Celestia" Narcissa starts.

"I appreciate it, but I think both her and Lucius would be uncomfortable with that arrangement"

"I could take over her care while the two of you are preoccupied" the ginger woman smiles.

"Celestia, this is Molly Weasley" Severus drawls cooly

"Do you trust her Severus?"

"With my life" he responds calmly

"I have temporarily filled your positions" comes Minerva's Voice from the doorway as she glides gracefully into the room. "I have spoken to Mr. Potter this morning, and he is happy to step in as defence against the dark arts teacher, and Horace will be stepping in, in your place. It will be paid leave, I believe you have both earned it"

"Thank you Headmistress, I-"

"Potter? You are leaving Potter in charge of my class? It would surely do less damage to the class to just cancel it all together" Severus comments dryly.

"Severus, I am unsure if you are aware, but Mr. Potter, in his fifth year, organized and taught a group of peers the very things you are teaching your students. He even succeeded in teaching Mr. Longbottom to produce a fully formed patronus. I believe that Mr. Potter is capable of handling your class for awhile Severus"

Three months Later the order sits around the large table in number 12 Grimmauld place.

"There is still movement on the death eater front, they are uniting again and trying to ally forces. Even without the dark lord, they are willing to fight for their ideals" Lucius explains in his usual holier than thou tone.

"And where do you stand Mr. Malfoy" Kingsley Shacklebolt responds calmly.

"I am sitting here with you am I not? My daughter, my flesh and blood married a half-blood, a wedding that I put together and hosted for them. She is raising his child who was born to a muggle woman. I have three grandchildren and not one is pureblood. I have spent the last three years trying to atone for my previous actions and yet I am still doubted at every turn! What must I do to prove myself to you!" Lucius responds irritably, his voice raised slightly.

"Calm yourself my dear" Narcissa whispers moving to Lucius from behind Draco.

"Speaking of your grandchildren, is there any news?" Kingsley asks gently.

"No one has heard from them in two weeks, so no news"

There door to the room opens and Severus and I step through, the girls tied to me in a wrap, both snuggled into my chest where they a secured by the soft rich purple fabric. Severus pulls my coat off and hangs it up just it time to be hit in the side with Marietta.

"Father, you're back! I missed you!"

Severus picks her up and holds her to his chest in a tight embrace before putting her back down gently.

" I am sorry we are late, we were supposed to be released last night, but there was an issue" I smile, hugging Astra and Narcissa. I move around the table to Lucius, tapping him on the shoulder and gesturing for him to stand. He stands slowly looking at me questioningly. I carefully wrap my arms around him, kissing him gently on the cheek.

"Thank you father, for everything you did to help"

"Celestia?" Severus calls looking at me confused.

"Care to fill everyone in Lucius?"

"I completed and filed the paperwork for Marietta. She is a Snape now, under the legal guardianship of Celestia and Severus. Her identification is at my manor, along with both Celestia and Astra's corrected birth records. Both women are now legally Malfoy heirs. When Narcissa and I are gone everything will be divided between Draco, Astra and Celestia, with funds put aside for each of the children, Marietta included" he finishes, looking down at my girls.. "What are their names Celestia?"

I reach carefully into the wrap, pulling out the larger of the girls and handing her to Lucius, who takes her carefully, resting her against his chest and sitting back down carefully. Her fluffy black hair tickling his chin as he rests his head on her gently, holding her close.

"That is Willow, and this" I pause gently pulling the smaller twin from the wrap "is Ember" I finish as Severus steals her from my arms and settles down into the chair beside Lucius.

"You said there was a problem? Are they alright?" Molly asks gently.

"Yes, they're fine" I smile "it was me they were worried about, I hadn't been feeling well for awhile and they were concerned that I had picked something up in the hospital"

"But you're ok?" Narcissa asks concerned.

"I'm actually more than ok, it just turns out that the illness is the result of another pregnancy" I smile.

"It turns out the two of you have far too much time on your hands" Lucius smirks "do you not already have enough on your plates between three children and your jobs?"

"We do, this child was not planned, but it welcomed nonetheless. I have actually decided at this point it is in my best interest to resign from my current post at Hogwarts to care for my family, Severus will be returning in September though seeing as the semester is over for summer"

"And who will take care of you with Severus away?" Lucius asks seriously and I snort at him.

"What are you sexist now? I need a man to take care of me?"

"Dear Merlin Celestia, do you listen to yourself? There are deatheaters rising again, it would be unwise to leave you unguarded, I don't know which of us is hated among them more, myself or Severus. You are tied to both. If they were to get ahold of you it would have a damaging effect on both Severus and I. I can guarantee with the utmost certainty that you will be a target, if not to exact revenge, then to punish you for turning against your bloodlines, you should be moved to the orders safe house and stay there until it's over"

"You want me to tuck myself away and hide? You have got to be kidding me! Severus, speak to him"

"I agree with him Celestia, I think you should stay here with the girls"

"Severus!"

"Silence witch! I will not allow any harm to come to you, or our children, this matter is not up for debate!"

"It never is when you put your stubborn damn foot down now is it? You aren't my boss! If there is another wave of this war coming I am going to fight too!"

"You will not! I will not lose you Celestia!" He roars, the whole room falling into silence, Severus rage is terrifying and I swallow hard.

"I could be useful Severus, why must you treat me like a child?"

"Did you happen to know how many of the people in this room died during the last war?"

"Yet you are all still standing here so obviously it worked out in the end" I argue

"We still don't know how that even happened, we don't know why or how we are back Celestia, therefore I am not going to put my faith in that happening again" Severus responds lowering his voice.

'Perhaps it's time Celestia" Astra starts

"No Astra, it will not ever be" I snap quickly

"Time for what Astra?"

Astra looks to me and I give her a warning glare but she ignores me.

"Celestia is the reason you are all here, she is the one who revived you"

I cover my face with my hands, shaking my head in frustration and drop into the armchair behind me.

"Celestia?" Severus asks coldly, moving in front of me and crouching down, pulling my hands away from my face. "Is that true?"

I nod quietly.

"How?"

"A potion I created"

"Why have you never told anyone? Why did you never tell me?"

"Imagine the knowledge of a potion that can bring people back from the dead gets into the hands of a death eater, or someone who wishes the dark lords return. It's too dangerous to risk Severus. I should have never made it, I'm grateful I was able to help you all. But I will never make it again"

"Do you understand how brilliant that is?" Severus asks me, a hint of admiration in his voice.

"Do you understand the burden that comes with it? Understanding you hold the power of life or death in your hands and have to choose not to use it for the greater good? To know that people die everyday and you could help them, but you can't at the same time?"

"Why did you create it Celestia?" Kingsley asks me seriously.

"There used to be three of us, myself, Astra and Luna"

"Triplets?" Kingsley asks confirming

"Yes, most of you don't know me at all, I don't speak of my childhood, ever. But to explain this to you I must I suppose. My stepfather was severely abusive to us starting as far back as I can remember. He hated us, he hated my mother. She had an affair with Lucius while she was here on business and had come back pregnant. He had been unable to produce an heir with her, his genetics had left him flawed an unable to procreate. So instead of tossing her he claimed the pregnancy to be his and carried on, knowing that the pregnancy was pure-blooded. From what I have learned all the spells they had used to try to conceive is what made the pregnancy multiply. He was horrified to find out she was carrying three girls and no actual name heir. I don't know when the abuse started, but I remember it wasn't originally targeted at us,but our mother instead. When we were about six" I hesitate and Astra nods sadly. "The three of us were in the parlour playing when we heard her screaming. It happened a lot, and we had always been told to ignore it, or the elves would silence the room. When the screaming got louder Luna went running to see what was happening, Astra and I followed her. She was on the floor screaming as he cursed her over and over in a drunken rage. Luna tried to get between them to break up the fight. He grabbed her and tossed her across the room. She hit the marble mantel of the fireplace then the floor, she was dying by the time I made it across the room to her. Her neck broken and head cracked open. He fled the house for the night, mother went and hid in her room. I laid with her while she died, I couldn't help her. I laid with her after she died, when I woke in the morning I was still laying on the floor, in dried up blood, but she was gone. Was the last I ever saw of her. I swore I would protect Astra from that fate, and I did at great cost to myself. He directed his rage at me for intervening and I became the abused one, always stepping in to defend Astra and my mother. I became obsessed with learning healing spells, and mastering potions. By the time I was eight I had completely mastered wandless nonverbal healing spells and knew how to brew basic healing potions. I was convinced that one day I would find my mother or Astra dead and became obsessed with making a potion for revival. Spent the next three years researching and making notes until I started school. I used the books at the school to complete my research and began attempting to brew what I had come up with. In my third year I suffered another devastating loss that I would prefer to keep to myself. From that point on it was serious. When I was fifteen it had figured out what needed to be done and just before I graduated I successfully brewed it for the first time. My owl had died that morning and became my test subject. When it worked I was thrilled. I bottled up the rest of the batch and hid it away. I never brewed it again, I destroyed my notes and my research and I only ever told Astra. I am the only living person who know how to make it, and that knowledge will die with me if I have any say over it."

"Lupin got really sick after the war, is that anything to do with the potion? Because we still don't know why"

"It was the potion, I had no idea he was a werewolf, nor did I know at that point it would have that effect. I never had a human subject to test it on, nor did I want one, it was either going to work or not. I got the job teaching potions because I came forward with a stronger anti venom for Nagini's bite, the reason I knew Severus needed it was because I tended to him for the two weeks his body was missing. It took two straight weeks of round the clock potions and care to keep him alive. I hated myself for having meddled, he was beyond repair, but I had revived him anyways. When I revived him he didn't spark back like everyone else. He when into convulsions, he couldn't breathe, his entire throat torn apart. I apparated him back to our house and went to work trying to heal him. The anti venom he created for Mr Weasley wasn't strong enough to cure the amount of venom in his body, blood replenishing potions weren't working fast enough to keep him from bleeding out. The venom in the tear of his throat was preventing me from healing him, it was a constant loop of potions and spells until I was able to break down Severus' anti venom and add to it to increase it's effect. Once that was done it was repairing all the tears in his body and trying to increase his blood volume again. I couldn't give him anymore anti venom and I had healed him to the best of my abilities. He was breathing on his own and was stable when I left him in front of Hogwarts. If he woke while under my care there was no hiding it, I had to leave him there. I came forward a few days later after reading in the paper that he was fighting for his life again because the venom was spreading again. I brought Poppy the anti venom I had brewed and told her I had made it for fear that the snake bites were going to become a more common occurrence. I got offered the job because I had proven myself, Astra got the job because I asked for a position for her. I made sure from a distance that he made a full recovery, and was glad when his story came to light that I had. Been teaching and keeping to myself since then."

"Firstly, I am sorry about your sister, and your childhood. I had no idea, didn't even know who you were until you married Severus. I learned of the abuse from your sister the day you killed Viktor Vicer and was the reason I chose not to charge and arrest you for murder. I don't see you as the type for murder under any circumstances but those"

"I have no desire for blood on my hands, I don't know what overcame me that day. I'm not proud of it"

"He deserved it" comes Fred's voice from the end of the table. "I get your obsessiveness, that day when I watched George die, I felt a piece of myself slip away. Only when I saw him alive again did I feel whole again, I can imagine that that must be a pain you still bear, both of you. No one in this room understands that bond like we do"

"What happened to her?" George asks quietly.

"Her body I have no idea, my father reported her as a missing person days later, only found that out a few years ago when I saw her name and picture on a missing persons board at the Canadian ministry when I went in to gain entrance to the UK."

"You must hate your Mother" comes Hermione's voice from the end of the table. " I mean, it was her job to protect you, but she didn't, and she never told anyone"

"I did , I started hating her when I was old enough to understand she had failed us as a mother. But I forgave her the day I saw her at my wedding. She was broken, she had no more control over the situation than we did. What were her options? Try to run and get us all killed, leave and abandon us? Or stay and try her best to keep him away from us. That's what she did, she's nothing but a shell now, the years of abuse have broken her down. I haven't seen her since that day. I have no idea where she is now, I've wondered, wondered if she is ok, or even still alive"

I look to Lucius who seems to have a different understanding of the situation now. He looks torn and slightly emotional.

"What are you thinking, my love?" Narcissa asks him quietly "you didn't did you?"

"No I didn't, I let her leave the wedding that day and haven't seen her since, but I'm wondering if I should perhaps pay her a visit and check in on her?"

He looks to Narcissa who is giving him a sour look and shakes his head.

"There is nothing between us Narcissa, it was a one time spur of the moment thing, it was before I married you and you know it, I am loyal to you Narcissa"

"If you're going, so am I" I comment standing up.

"Celestia.."

"Severus, it's a floo trip and back, I'm taking Lucius, he scarier than the elves in the house, I will be back within the hour I'm sure, if not send Kreacher after me"

Lucius stands and joins me at the floo. I grab a handful of powder and toss it into fire. "Piccune Manor" and we are gone.


	12. Chapter 12

When the floo opens up we step out into a huge foyer of the large Manor and I have to stop to collect myself as a flood of emotions fills me. Lucius moves forward in the house taking it in. The rich red velvet curtains hanging from the four story high windows, the polished marble floors, the pristine antique furniture and the large expensive pieces of moving art on the walls. I move to his side and snap my fingers. A little elf appears in front of me looking shocked to see me.

"Mistress Celestia!"

"Ruggins, where is mother?"

"In her room, she doesn't leave her room mistress, not since she returns without Master"

I nod and move to the staircase, hastily climbing up the three stories to a dark corridor hidden behind a portrait, I can hear Lucius footsteps following close behind me. I stop outside a set of intricately carved gold plated double doors and push them open with ease. The room is pitch black and littered with empty bottles and the smell of stale cigarette smoke. I can make out her form against the giant bed across the room.

"Mum, mum are you awake?"

No response. I slowly approach the bed and put my hand on her side. She jolts awake and pulls away from me, skittering so far back she almost goes off the other side of the bed.

"Mum it's ok, it's me"

"Celestia?"

"Yes, we came to see if you were ok"

She looks from me to Lucius who stands in the doorway, leaning against the frame nonchalantly and watching her closely.

"Are you doing alright mum? You look horrible. The elf said you don't leave this room"

"Why are you wasting your time on me Celestia? Shouldn't you be with your husband?"

"And her children" Lucius adds

"You have children? It's been…"

"Two years mum, I had twin girls a few months ago, Willow and Ember, and I'm raising Severus daughter Marietta. Just found out I'm pregnant again as well."

"You've done well for yourself, he seems like a fine man and I'm sure your children are beautiful Celestia"

"Why don't you come and see them Athene? Get out of this house, have some dinner?" Lucius comments cooly.

" yes, come back with us mum, please? I worry about you here all by yourself. There's another war coming you know?"

"I know, they were here looking for your father, wanting to recruit him. Told them he had been dead for two years now"

"I'm not going anywhere Celestia, I belong here. You think all your friends don't hate me already?"

"Mum, they know it wasn't your fault"

"Celestia, I've lived my life since you and your sisters were born hating myself. If I had never cheated in the first place—"

"We wouldn't have our beautiful daughters and would still have a miserable life"

"There is no we Lucius, we were young and stupid and it ruined me and them. Because of one night everything fell apart Lucius. They're your daughters now, they're doing good. They don't need me meddling in their lives, no good can come of it. I should have told you, I should have given them to you."

Lucius moves across the room and climbs onto the bed beside her and pulls her frail form onto his lap. He pulls her head against his chest and strokes her hair. She snuggles into his chest and breaks into silent sobbing.

"Hey, don't do this Athene. Don't cry babe"

"I wish you had let me know what was happening here Athene, I could have helped you, helped them. I would have"

"I couldn't face you Lucius"

"Why Athene?" Lucius asks her, tipping her chin up and brushing the hair out of her eyes. The moment she makes eye contact with him, their lips come together in a heated kiss which quickly breaks apart when Lucius shoves her off his lap.

"I can't do this Athene, I have Narcissa, I love Narcissa"

"And that is why I couldn't see you Lucius" she whispers sadly. "Please just go, take care of the girls and let me be, congratulations Celestia, be well. But don't ever come back here again"

Back at number 12 Grimmauld place Severus stands pacing, holding a hysterically screaming, hungry Willow in his arms and cursing me under his breath for taking so long when the floo opens and spills Lucius and I back into the room. Severus all but drops Willow into my arms with a frustrated growl before storming off. I quickly latch her to my breast before gently sitting in the wooden chair at the head of the table.

"Is she ok Celestia?" Comes Astra's voice from the end of the table, her head resting on a ginger mans shoulder and I look at her questioningly.

"This is Charlie Weasley, were dating" she smiles gently, wrapping her arm around his.

"It's nice to finally meet you Celestia" he smiles at me.

"Likewise, mum is fine I suppose, locking herself away. Told us to never come back, to leave her be"

"We can't just leave her there Celestia"

"I think we have more important things to worry about, she's a pureblood, she's safe"

"The burrow was ransacked this morning"

"And no one knows about this place?" I ask carefully

"No, no one we don't trust"

"Actually" starts Harry uneasily "when the three of us broke into the ministry that day, on our way out Yaxley grabbed hold of Hermione, we lost him here before moving elsewhere"

"I don't know who that is" I respond quietly

"He's a death eater, and one you need to watch out for, you didn't find it prudent to inform us of this before now Potter?" Severus inserts icily, appearing in the room with Ember.

"Honestly Professor, it slipped my mind"

"Slipped you mind? Do you understand the lives at stake Mr. Potter or did that also slip your mind?" Severus drawls annoyed

"Severus enough, he's been through a lot. We have all been lulled into a false sense of security since the war, it's been quiet and people have let their guard down. It's not his fault. We know now, and I believe finding somewhere else is more important than fighting amongst ourselves"

"What about our house Celestia? The wards on it are un breathable and there's plenty of room for everyone"

"The ministry is unaware that you even owned property Celestia, where is it?"

"Saltfleet, in Lincolnshire, on the shoreline" I respond thinking carefully.

"Family property?"

"No sir, newly built when I came to England ten years ago, the wards were up on the property before the building began. It's safe. I am more than happy to open up our home to the order"

Severus clears his throat and looks at me with an annoyed glance.

"Is there something you need to say?" I look at him coldly.

"A word alone" he drawls gesturing to the door.

"Willow is eating, if you have something to say, just say it Severus"

"Do I get any say before you open up our house?"

"Are you kidding me? Do you have an objection?"

"Grimmauld place isn't a personal property, no one lives here. It's not invading on anyone's space or life"

"These people have fought hard to win this war and if I can help I will. Are you going to turn them away?"

"These people would have killed me the first chance they got during the war Celestia"

"You played a convincing part Severus! Of course they were unsure! I was unsure of you as well, if I had thought you were a danger I would have done the same Severus, do you wish to deny me now as well? It is my house! I will do as I please, by all means if it upsets you go back to Cokesworth"

"I am asking you to reconsider, they will eventually find your property and bring the battle to your doorstep"

"And I will be ready for them when they come Severus, I am decided"

"When would you like to make the move?" Kingsley asks me, giving Severus a sympathetic look.

"I think it would be wise to move soon, this evening after dinner?" I ask looking around the table and gaining a collective nod.

"It gives us all time to collect what we need, is your house connected to the floo network?"

"No, Astra and myself can apparate directly into the house. We can make rounds bringing everyone there after dinner, it's better I think if it stays off the floo network, it will keep it off the map longer"

"Will you take Draco there with you?" Narcissa asks calmly "I believe our family will be a target, our betrayal during the war did not go unnoticed. I want to be sure he is safe"

I look to Severus who nods and I agree.

"It will give you two time to acquaint" Lucius comments seriously.

"It'll be nice having Draco around, him and I are pals" Astra smiles and Draco nods.

"Pals?" Ron asks rather stupidly

"Mates, friends. We were raised in Canada and there is, believe it or not, a language barrier between us some days. Ten years here has helped, but old habits die hard I suppose."

"Canada? You will have to tell us all about it! We have never travelled in that direction" Arthur chimes in excitedly.

"Are you ok with us bringing Teddy?"

"Teddy?"

"Our son, he's the same age as Marietta"

"Of course, it would be nice to have a child her age for her to play with" I smile and hear Severus snort behind me. "problem Severus?"

Severus stares at me blankly and shakes his head reluctantly.

"Him and my husband don't get along" Tonks tells me quietly "it's an age old feud"

"Then perhaps it's time to put it to rest?" I ask looking to Remus who nods and then to Severus who glares at me. "Severus, I will not tolerate your venom under my roof. You need to stop—"

"It is my fault Celestia, his hatred for me is not unreasonable. James, Sirius and I tormented him throughout school,made his life miserable. More James and Sirius, but I did little to remedy the situation."

"Then perhaps it is you that needs to fix this and not Severus at all"

"In Remus Defence, he was the only one that still trusted Snape in the end" Harry adds hopeful this information will help. Remus stands and moves towards Severus, who watches him unblinking. Remus extends his hand to Severus who stares at it like a rancid piece of meat.

"It is time to put this behind us Severus, please accept my heartfelt apology. We were stupid little boys. We are grown men now, James and Sirius are dead, it is just us now."

Severus snorts and then catches my warning glare, he glares back before extending his hand. Remus smiles and pulls Severus into an awkward one armed hug, Severus quickly pulling away and looking at Remus coldly.

"It's a start I suppose, where is teddy now Tonks?"

"With my parents"

"I apologize, who are your parents? I have kept to myself mostly"

"Andromeda Black and Ted Tonks" she smiles proudly.

"So you are Andromeda's daughter, I had no idea, I apologize. That would make us cousins by marriage then correct?" I smile and she nods.

"If you choose to accept that"

"Have you forgotten who I married? I don't care for any of this pure-blood bullshit" I finish, glaring at Narcissa. "Perhaps there are some other age old feuds that need to be laid to rest"

"Perhaps there are, but it is more difficult than a handshake and an apology. This isn't a small issue Celestia"

"Perhaps, but it is a start. Your mother is family to me, please bring them with you. There is plenty of space. I may not understand your feud, but I understand the bond between sisters, your family has been trying to prove itself, this is another move in the right direction" I comment watching Narcissa carefully. She thinks for a minute and nods "I will try"

"We will all meet back here tonight at dinner time, I want everyone to stay together in pairs if at all possible, don't put your wands down"

As everyone leaves Severus and I are left alone in the dining room.

"My love, sit with me."

"I don't wish to be in your company right now Celestia, I don't want you involved with the order. You are putting yourself at risk unnecessarily"

"Severus, I know you are afraid I will be hurt or killed, but with or without the order that could happen. I love you, I love our family, but we will never live in peace until this is over" I finish pulling Willow from my Chest and handing her carefully to Severus and taking ember to feed her.

Severus moves quietly into the seat beside me, wrapping his cloak around Willow as she snuggles in to sleep against his chest.

"I want you to brew another batch of that potion Celestia, for my peace of mind. If something was to happen to you, or to one of our children. I couldn't carry on anymore"

"Severus, Celestia? Do either of you need anything before we head to the burrow?"

"No, I'm going to go lay down for a bit if the girls will allow it, I'm feeling pretty worn down lately"

"Pregnant and nursing will do that to you dear, especially with twins. Let me gather stuff back at the burrow and I will take them for awhile so the two of you can rest"

"I'm ok Molly, really. But thank you" I smile carefully standing "Severus, can you show me our room so I can lay down?"

Severus stands placing his free arm on the small of my back and guiding me upstairs and into a small bedroom. He lays Willow down in the transfigured crib and takes ember from me, wrapping her carefully up with her sister and pushing me back onto the bed with a smirk.

"Marietta"

"She went with Nymphadora to shell cottage to get Teddy. Stop worrying witch, it's been a month since we've had a chance"

"A month since you took me in the hospital bathroom?" I smirk.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures"

"And you are always desperate"

"To be inside you? Of course" he responds pinning me to the bed. With a wave of his wand the door closes and locks, the room is silenced and we are naked. He closes his mouth over mine, the taste of tea still on his lips. He nudges my legs apart gently and quickly guides himself into me with ease.

"I'm desperate?" He smirks as he thrusts hard into me and I groan out, wrapping my arms around him and quickly matching his thrusts. The sex is quick and rough, he hold off until I break and let's himself come with me, dropping exhaustedly onto the bed. When I look up at him he is already asleep. I wave my wand so he has some pants on and I am fully dressed before closing my eyes and drifting off to sleep. When I wake it's dark outside the window and there is a loud banging on the door, waking both of the girls and sending them both into a screaming fit. I stand tiredly and pull open the door. Lucius stands on the other side.

"Dinner is ready"

I turn picking up the girls from the crib and Severus appears beside me, pulling his shirt back on and carefully buttoning it up. He kisses me on the neck and moves from the room. I follow behind him and take my place at the table trying to situate myself to feed both of the girls at once. Severus flicks his wand and the chair changes into a plush armchair and two pillows materialize on my lap. He pulls his cloak from the hook on the wall and covers me so I can feed them before setting himself on the arm of the chair and crossing his arms. Molly hands Severus a plate of food and takes her seat digging into her own dinner. Severus carefully cuts off a piece of the meat and offers it to me carefully. Dinner wraps up and immediately We get to business.

"How many people can you apparate at a time Astra and Celestia?" Comes Kingsley's voice

"Three or four" I respond "I'm going to take Severus and the girls first, then I'll come back for more. Astra can bring the Lupins. Put them in the left corridor on the second floor, it should be large enough for them and Teddy"

Astra nods and they get ready and disappear. She pops back moments later with a smile and moves to Severus.

"I'll take Severus and the girls, it's probably not a great idea for you to be going back and fourth too much while you're pregnant"

Severus takes the girls from me and Astra grabs Marietta and they're gone. Several trips later it is just myself, Harry, Hermione and Ron. They gather around me and I apparate us to my house without incident.

I look around the room, waving my wand and illuminating the giant chandelier that hangs in the giant foyer. People sit in every corner of the foyer on my oversized burgundy leather couches sipping glasses of wine and whiskey. Astra has music blaring and is dancing with Charlie, some of the younger crowd joining in with them.

"Ok everyone, it's getting late, I think we should sort out lodgings?"

The music dies and everyone crowds around me.

"First floor rundown. Kitchen, dining room, there are several bathrooms, and a small library. There is also a room in the back with electricity, there a television and movies and stuff for those of you who know what that is"

"You own a television?" Harry asks surprised

"I have a few guilty pleasures Harry. I lived in muggle America for a few years before I came here. Then lived here for six years before I started teaching, I had to occupy myself somehow"

"What other muggle stuff do you take pleasure in?" Hermione asks with a smile.

"Up on the second floor, the door at the top of the stairs is a ballroom, but It contains a grand piano, this is one of the places I spend a lot of my time. Other than that, not very much"

"What do you watch on the television?" Arthur asks curiously.

"Music, crime Dramas, medical dramas it's fascinating to watch how well muggles cope without magic really. "

I snap my fingers and several elves appear in front of me, bowing deeply much to Hermione's horror.

"You have elves?" She asks looking completely disgusted

"I assure you they are both free and treated fairly Hermione." I smile and turn my attention back to the elves. "Can you please show our guests to their rooms? Everyone is on the second floor" I smile to the crowd pointing up the marble staircase. Astra can be found on the third floor and myself and Severus stay on the fifth. The fourth floor is the main library"

"The entire floor?" Hermione asks delightedly

"Yes, the entire floor. I enjoy reading very much. The basement is my potions lab and the wine cellar, help yourself to the wine but I ask you to stay out of my potions lab. At the end of the hallway behind the stairs there is a double door that leads out onto the grounds. There is a pool and gardens. Out the front" I continue pointing to the large doors behind me "is the beach, the grounds are protected three miles in each direction from the house, so you are safe to wander if you wish to. Meals are served at 7, noon and 6 in the evening, if you need anything before then please ask the elves. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to bed for the evening"

I climb the marble staircases and enter our sweeping bedroom. And enter quietly closing the door behind me and joining Severus who stands hands clasped behind his back, staring out the window looking over the ocean.

"The girls are in bed?"

"Yes"

"Perhaps we should be as well love" I whisper coming up behind him and running my hands up his chest under his shirt and gently scraping my nails over his warm flesh, eliciting a deep velvety groan.

"Come to bed my love"

He turns to face me and his lips come gently down on mine, cupping my face and looking me in the eyes. His hands slide down slowly, trailing down to my swollen breasts, his mouth lowering and trailing kisses down along the curve of my neck and lowering the straps of my dress before letting in pool on the floor at my feet. I step carefully out of it and make to undo Severus buttons but he pulls my hands away and scoops me up carefully in his strong arms and brings me to the bed, laying me down among the soft pillows and running his hands over my soft body. Leaning in to press a kiss to my belly before unclapsing my bra and letting my breasts fall free.

"I daresay that motherhood has made your body quite a bit more…alluring" he whispers against my neck before closing his mouth over one of my nipples, gently nipping and sucking at it with another deep groan. He hooks his fingers in my panties tearing them from me with ease and lowering his mouth to me. His hot breath tickling my sensitive core before his mouth captures me completely, his tongue administering lashes expertly, bringing me crashing down in only minutes. He points to the headboard, his favourite place to have me and I comply, moving quickly, waiting to feel his warm body against mine. He comes up behind me, entering me roughly and pulling me back against his chest, holding the headboard as he begins pounding me brutally. His mouth finds his favourite spot on my neck and he wraps himself around me, biting and kissing me as he gives in to his carnal needs. He covers my mouth when I start to tremble and fucks me harder to my second release before letting go of me and thrusting to his release dropping forward onto me panting hard. When he moves again he drags his nails painfully down my back and starts picking up a pace again when the girls start to cry. He groans and pulls away from me, grabbing a pair of clean pyjama pants and pulling them on before picking up the girls and bringing them to me.

"Looks like it's going to be quickies for awhile" he whispers with a smirk and a kiss.

"It appears so"


End file.
